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Posted on 07/19/2014 8:24:05 PM PDT by Salvation
July 20, 2014
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading 1 Wis 12:13, 16-19
There is no god besides you who have the care of all,
that you need show you have not unjustly condemned.
For your might is the source of justice;
your mastery over all things makes you lenient to all.
For you show your might when the perfection of your power is disbelieved;
and in those who know you, you rebuke temerity.
But though you are master of might, you judge with clemency,
and with much lenience you govern us;
for power, whenever you will, attends you.
And you taught your people, by these deeds,
that those who are just must be kind;
and you gave your children good ground for hope
that you would permit repentance for their sins.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16
R/ (5a) Lord, you are good and forgiving.
You, O LORD, are good and forgiving,
abounding in kindness to all who call upon you.
Hearken, O LORD, to my prayer
and attend to the sound of my pleading.
R/ Lord, you are good and forgiving.
All the nations you have made shall come
and worship you, O LORD,
and glorify your name.
For you are great, and you do wondrous deeds;
you alone are God.
R/ Lord, you are good and forgiving.
You, O LORD, are a God merciful and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in kindness and fidelity.
Turn toward me, and have pity on me;
give your strength to your servant.
R/ Lord, you are good and forgiving.
Reading 2 Rom 8:26-27
Brothers and sisters:
The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness;
for we do not know how to pray as we ought,
but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.
And the one who searches hearts
knows what is the intention of the Spirit,
because he intercedes for the holy ones
according to God’s will.
Gospel Mt 13:24-43
Jesus proposed another parable to the crowds, saying:
“The kingdom of heaven may be likened
to a man who sowed good seed in his field.
While everyone was asleep his enemy came
and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.
When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well.
The slaves of the householder came to him and said,
‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field?
Where have the weeds come from?’
He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’
His slaves said to him,
‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds
you might uproot the wheat along with them.
Let them grow together until harvest;
then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters,
“First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning;
but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”
He proposed another parable to them.
“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed
that a person took and sowed in a field.
It is the smallest of all the seeds,
yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants.
It becomes a large bush,
and the ‘birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.’”
He spoke to them another parable.
“The kingdom of heaven is like yeast
that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch was leavened.”
All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables.
He spoke to them only in parables,
to fulfill what had been said through the prophet:
I will open my mouth in parables,
I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation
of the world.
Then, dismissing the crowds, he went into the house.
His disciples approached him and said,
“Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
He said in reply, “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man,
the field is the world, the good seed the children of the kingdom.
The weeds are the children of the evil one,
and the enemy who sows them is the devil.
The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire,
so will it be at the end of the age.
The Son of Man will send his angels,
and they will collect out of his kingdom
all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.
They will throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun
in the kingdom of their Father.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
or Mt 13:24-30
Jesus proposed another parable to the crowds, saying:
“The kingdom of heaven may be likened
to a man who sowed good seed in his field.
While everyone was asleep his enemy came
and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.
When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well.
The slaves of the householder came to him and said,
‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field?
Where have the weeds come from?’
He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’
His slaves said to him,
‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds
you might uproot the wheat along with them.
Let them grow together until harvest;
then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters,
“First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning;
but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”
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Just A Minute (Listen) Some of EWTN's most popular hosts and guests in a collection of one minute inspirational messages. A different message each time you click. |
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The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:
Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.
And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.
Amen. |
Saint Apollinaris, Bishop & Martyr
Optional Memorial
July 20th
St. Apollinaris, c. 549 mosaic
detail of apse
Ravenna, church of St. Apollinaris
Saint Appolinaris, probably born in Antioch, is one of the great Christian martyrs of the first century. He was made Bishop of Ravenna by Saint Peter. The date of his consecration is not known, though he was bishop for twenty-six years. His preaching won many converts to the Christian faith; but his very effective evangelization led to his continual persecution, and he was repeatedly driven from Ravenna. Once he was found severely beaten and half dead on the seashore; and for a time he was concealed by the Christians. He was captured again and compelled to walk on burning coals, and he was again driven from the region. Despite this, he returned to Ravenna and continued his work of evangelization. Again he was captured, hacked with knives, had scalding water poured over his wounds, was beaten in the mouth with stones because he persisted in preaching, and then, loaded with chains, he was cast into a dungeon to starve to death; however, after four days he was put on board ship and sent to Greece. There he continued his preaching and miracles. His very presence caused the oracles to be silent, so he was beaten and sent back to Italy. After three years, he returned to Ravenna a fourth time. Vespasian (9-79 AD) was Emperor at this time, and in response complaints he issued a decree of banishment against the Christians. Apollinaris was kept hidden for some time; but as he was passing out of the gates of the city, he was set upon and savagely beaten. He lived for seven days, and foretold that the persecution of Christians would increase, but that the Church would ultimately triumph. It has been suggested that Apollinaris was one of the seventy-two disciples of Christ, but this is not certain.
[Based on the entry in the Catholic Encyclopedia]
Collect:
Direct your faithful, Lord, in the way of eternal salvation,
which the Bishop Saint Apollinaris showed by his teaching and martyrdom,
and grant, through his intercession,
that we may so perserve in keeping your commandments
as to merit being crowned with him.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. +Amen.
First Reading: Ezekiel 34:11-16
"For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when some of his sheep have been scattered abroad, so will I seek out my sheep; and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. And I will bring them out from the peoples, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the fountains, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them with good pasture, and upon the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on fat pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord GOD. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the crippled, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will watch over; I will feed them in justice.
Gospel Reading: John 10:11-18
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again; this charge I have received from my Father."
SAINT APOLLINARIS of RAVENNA, First Bishop of Ravenna and Martyr [Apollinarius]
Feast Day: July 20
Born: Antioch (in Pisidia)
Died: 304
Patron of: childbirth, pregnant women, dying people, kidney disease, peasants, exiles, falsely accused people; nurses
St. Joseph Barsabbas
Feast Day: July 20
Born/Died: (around the time of Jesus)
The Acts of the Apostles in the Bible, mentions that St. Peter wanted to replace Judas after Jesus' resurrection. Peter, who did not want to show favoritism, asked the community to suggest someone. He wanted a person who had been among the disciples from the time Jesus was baptized by John until the Lord's death and resurrection.
The first Christians suggested two men, who were equally good. One was Joseph, called Barsabbas or Joseph the Just, and the other was Matthias. "One of these men must become a witness with us of Jesus' resurrection," Peter said.
The community prayed. "Lord," they said, "you know the hearts of each of us here. Help us to know the person who should take the place of Judas." Then they "cast lots." The man selected was Matthias and he was added to the company of apostles.
Soon the disciples spread out and went with the mission to preach the good news of salvation to all nations. Joseph Barsabbas preached in many places using his energy to spread the Good News. His love for the Church and his dedication whether he was chosen or not, are his gift to us.
Reflection: When we sometimes feel unappreciated for what we have done, we can pray to the Holy Spirit to free us from the need to be praised.
| Matthew | |||
| English: Douay-Rheims | Latin: Vulgata Clementina | Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000) | |
| Matthew 13 |
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| 24. | Another parable he proposed to them, saying: The kingdom of heaven is likened to a man that sowed good seeds in his field. | Aliam parabolam proposuit illis, dicens : Simile factum est regnum cælorum homini, qui seminavit bonum semen in agro suo : | αλλην παραβολην παρεθηκεν αυτοις λεγων ωμοιωθη η βασιλεια των ουρανων ανθρωπω σπειροντι καλον σπερμα εν τω αγρω αυτου |
| 25. | But while men were asleep, his enemy came and oversowed cockle among the wheat and went his way. | cum autem dormirent homines, venit inimicus ejus, et superseminavit zizania in medio tritici, et abiit. | εν δε τω καθευδειν τους ανθρωπους ηλθεν αυτου ο εχθρος και εσπειρεν ζιζανια ανα μεσον του σιτου και απηλθεν |
| 26. | And when the blade was sprung up, and had brought forth fruit, then appeared also the cockle. | Cum autem crevisset herba, et fructum fecisset, tunc apparuerunt et zizania. | οτε δε εβλαστησεν ο χορτος και καρπον εποιησεν τοτε εφανη και τα ζιζανια |
| 27. | And the servants of the goodman of the house coming said to him: Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? whence then hath it cockle? | Accedentes autem servi patrisfamilias, dixerunt ei : Domine, nonne bonum semen seminasti in agro tuo ? unde ergo habet zizania ? | προσελθοντες δε οι δουλοι του οικοδεσποτου ειπον αυτω κυριε ουχι καλον σπερμα εσπειρας εν τω σω αγρω ποθεν ουν εχει ζιζανια |
| 28. | And he said to them: An enemy hath done this. And the servants said to him: Wilt thou that we go and gather it up? | Et ait illis : Inimicus homo hoc fecit. Servi autem dixerunt ei : Vis, imus, et colligimus ea ? | ο δε εφη αυτοις εχθρος ανθρωπος τουτο εποιησεν οι δε δουλοι ειπον αυτω θελεις ουν απελθοντες συλλεξομεν αυτα |
| 29. | And he said: No, lest perhaps gathering up the cockle, you root up the wheat also together with it. | Et ait : Non : ne forte colligentes zizania, eradicetis simul cum eis et triticum. | ο δε εφη ου μηποτε συλλεγοντες τα ζιζανια εκριζωσητε αμα αυτοις τον σιτον |
| 30. | Suffer both to grow until the harvest, and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers: Gather up first the cockle, and bind it into bundles to burn, but the wheat gather ye into my barn. | Sinite utraque crescere usque ad messem, et in tempore messis dicam messoribus : Colligite primum zizania, et alligate ea in fasciculos ad comburendum : triticum autem congregate in horreum meum. | αφετε συναυξανεσθαι αμφοτερα μεχρι του θερισμου και εν καιρω του θερισμου ερω τοις θερισταις συλλεξατε πρωτον τα ζιζανια και δησατε αυτα εις δεσμας προς το κατακαυσαι αυτα τον δε σιτον συναγαγετε εις την αποθηκην μου |
| 31. | Another parable he proposed unto them, saying: The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field. | Aliam parabolam proposuit eis dicens : Similis est regnum cælorum grano sinapis, quod accipiens homo seminavit in agro suo : | αλλην παραβολην παρεθηκεν αυτοις λεγων ομοια εστιν η βασιλεια των ουρανων κοκκω σιναπεως ον λαβων ανθρωπος εσπειρεν εν τω αγρω αυτου |
| 32. | Which is the least indeed of all seeds; but when it is grown up, it is greater than all herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come, and dwell in the branches thereof. | quod minimum quidem est omnibus seminibus : cum autem creverit, majus est omnibus oleribus, et fit arbor, ita ut volucres cæli veniant, et habitent in ramis ejus. | ο μικροτερον μεν εστιν παντων των σπερματων οταν δε αυξηθη μειζον των λαχανων εστιν και γινεται δενδρον ωστε ελθειν τα πετεινα του ουρανου και κατασκηνουν εν τοις κλαδοις αυτου |
| 33. | Another parable he spoke to them: The kingdom of heaven is like to leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, until the whole was leavened. | Aliam parabolam locutus est eis : Similis est regnum cælorum fermento, quod acceptum mulier abscondit in farinæ satis tribus, donec fermentatum est totum. | αλλην παραβολην ελαλησεν αυτοις ομοια εστιν η βασιλεια των ουρανων ζυμη ην λαβουσα γυνη εκρυψεν εις αλευρου σατα τρια εως ου εζυμωθη ολον |
| 34. | All these things Jesus spoke in parables to the multitudes: and without parables he did not speak to them. | Hæc omnia locutus est Jesus in parabolis ad turbas : et sine parabolis non loquebatur eis : | ταυτα παντα ελαλησεν ο ιησους εν παραβολαις τοις οχλοις και χωρις παραβολης ουκ ελαλει αυτοις |
| 35. | That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world. | ut impleretur quod dictum erat per prophetam dicentem : Aperiam in parabolis os meum ; eructabo abscondita a constitutione mundi. | οπως πληρωθη το ρηθεν δια του προφητου λεγοντος ανοιξω εν παραβολαις το στομα μου ερευξομαι κεκρυμμενα απο καταβολης κοσμου |
| 36. | Then having sent away the multitudes, he came into the house, and his disciples came to him, saying: Expound to us the parable of the cockle of the field. | Tunc, dimissis turbis, venit in domum : et accesserunt ad eum discipuli ejus, dicentes : Edissere nobis parabolam zizaniorum agri. | τοτε αφεις τους οχλους ηλθεν εις την οικιαν ο ιησους και προσηλθον αυτω οι μαθηται αυτου λεγοντες φρασον ημιν την παραβολην των ζιζανιων του αγρου |
| 37. | Who made answer and said to them: He that soweth the good seed, is the Son of man. | Qui respondens ait illis : Qui seminat bonum semen, est Filius hominis. | ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτοις ο σπειρων το καλον σπερμα εστιν ο υιος του ανθρωπου |
| 38. | And the field, is the world. And the good seed are the children of the kingdom. And the cockle, are the children of the wicked one. | Ager autem est mundus. Bonum vero semen, hi sunt filii regnum. Zizania autem, filii sunt nequam. | ο δε αγρος εστιν ο κοσμος το δε καλον σπερμα ουτοι εισιν οι υιοι της βασιλειας τα δε ζιζανια εισιν οι υιοι του πονηρου |
| 39. | And the enemy that sowed them, is the devil. But the harvest is the end of the world. And the reapers are the angels. | Inimicus autem, qui seminavit ea, est diabolus. Messis vero, consummatio sæculi est. Messores autem, angeli sunt. | ο δε εχθρος ο σπειρας αυτα εστιν ο διαβολος ο δε θερισμος συντελεια του αιωνος εστιν οι δε θερισται αγγελοι εισιν |
| 40. | Even as cockle therefore is gathered up, and burnt with fire: so shall it be at the end of the world. | Sicut ergo colliguntur zizania, et igni comburuntur : sic erit in consummatione sæculi. | ωσπερ ουν συλλεγεται τα ζιζανια και πυρι καιεται ουτως εσται εν τη συντελεια του αιωνος τουτου |
| 41. | The Son of man shall send his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all scandals, and them that work iniquity. | Mittet Filius hominis angelos suos, et colligent de regno ejus omnia scandala, et eos qui faciunt iniquitatem : | αποστελει ο υιος του ανθρωπου τους αγγελους αυτου και συλλεξουσιν εκ της βασιλειας αυτου παντα τα σκανδαλα και τους ποιουντας την ανομιαν |
| 42. | And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. | et mittent eos in caminum ignis. Ibi erit fletus et stridor dentium. | και βαλουσιν αυτους εις την καμινον του πυρος εκει εσται ο κλαυθμος και ο βρυγμος των οδοντων |
| 43. | Then shall the just shine as the sun, in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. | Tunc justi fulgebunt sicut sol in regno Patris eorum. Qui habet aures audiendi, audiat. | τοτε οι δικαιοι εκλαμψουσιν ως ο ηλιος εν τη βασιλεια του πατρος αυτων ο εχων ωτα ακουειν ακουετω |
What are the "Five Precepts of the Church"?
(1) You shall attend Mass on Sunday and holy days of obligation and abstain from work or activities that offend against the character of the day. (2) You shall receive the sacrament of Penance at least once a year. (3) You shall receive the Eucharist at least during the Easter season. (4) You shall observe the prescribed seasons of fasting and days of abstinence (Ash Wednesday and Good Friday). (5) You shall contribute to the material support of the Church.
What is the purpose of the precepts of the Church, and how binding are they?
The "Five Precepts of the Church" with their minimum requirements are supposed to remind us that one cannot be a Christian without making a moral effort, without participating personally in the sacramental life of the Church, and without union with her in solidarity. They are obligatory for every Catholic Christian. (YOUCAT questions 345-346)
Dig Deeper: CCC section (2041-2043) and other references here.
Part 3: Life in Christ (1691 - 2557)
Section 1: Man's Vocation — Life in the Spirit (1699 - 2051)
Chapter 3: God's Salvation: Law and Grace (1949 - 2051)
Article 3: The Church, Mother and Teacher (2030 - 2051)
II. THE PRECEPTS OF THE CHURCH ⇡
The precepts of the Church are set in the context of a moral life bound to and nourished by liturgical life. The obligatory character of these positive laws decreed by the pastoral authorities is meant to guarantee to the faithful the very necessary minimum in the spirit of prayer and moral effort, in the growth in love of God and neighbor:
The first precept ("You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor") requires the faithful to sanctify the day commemorating the Resurrection of the Lord as well as the principal liturgical feasts honoring the mysteries of the Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the saints; in the first place, by participating in the Eucharistic celebration, in which the Christian community is gathered, and by resting from those works and activities which could impede such a sanctification of these days.82
The second precept ("You shall confess your sins at least once a year") ensures preparation for the Eucharist by the reception of the sacrament of reconciliation, which continues Baptism's work of conversion and forgiveness.83
The third precept ("You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season") guarantees as a minimum the reception of the Lord's Body and Blood in connection with the Paschal feasts, the origin and center of the Christian liturgy.84
82.
Cf. CIC, cann. 1246-1248; CCEO, cann. 881 § 1, § 2, § 4.
83.
Cf. CIC, can. 989; CCEO, can. 719.
84.
Cf. CIC, can. 920; CCEO, cann. 708; 881 § 3.
The fourth precept ("You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church") ensures the times of ascesis and penance which prepare us for the liturgical feasts and help us acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart.85
The fifth precept ("You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church") means that the faithful are obliged to assist with the material needs of the Church, each according to his own ability.86
The faithful also have the duty of providing for the material needs of the Church, each according to his own abilities.87
85.
Cf. CIC, cann. 1249-1251; CCEO, can. 882.
86.
Cf. CIC, can. 222; CCEO can. 25; Furthermore, episcopal conferences can establish other ecclesiastical precepts for their own territories (Cf. CIC, can. 455).
87.
Cf. CIC, can. 222.
Daily Readings for:July 20, 2014
(Readings on USCCB website)
Collect: Show favor, O Lord, to your servants and mercifully increase the gifts of your grace, that, made fervent in hope, faith and charity, they may be ever watchful in keeping your commands. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
RECIPES
ACTIVITIES
o Security of Faith within the Home
PRAYERS
o Book of Blessings: Blessing Before and After Meals: Ordinary Time (2nd Plan)
· Ordinary Time: July 20th
· Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
Old Calendar: Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
"Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears ought to hear." (Matt 13:40-43)
Click here for commentary on the readings in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.
The Optional Memorial of St. Apollinaris, bishop and martyr, is superseded by the Sunday liturgy.
Sunday Readings
The first reading is taken from the Book of Wisdom 12:13, 16-19 where the author reminds us that the kind of judgment we receive depends not on the scales of godless justice, but instead on the mercy and love of God for those who strive to live life in response to His love. — A Celebrants Guide to the New Sacramentary - A Cycle by Kevin W. Irwin
The second reading is from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans 8:26-27. The theme is the activity of the Spirit in helping us in our weakness to pray as we ought, for it is the Spirit who makes intercession for us and intercedes for us before God. — A Celebrants Guide to the New Sacramentary - A Cycle by Kevin W. Irwin
The Gospel is from St. Matthew 13:24-43. Today's parable is Christ's answer to the question so frequently asked: "Why does God permit evil to triumph so often in this world, why are the wicked allowed to prosper?" The triumph of the wicked is short-lived, the reward of the Christian who suffers from their wickedness is everlasting. The very wickedness and injustices of evil-doers are one of the ways that God uses to perfect his elect. It is only on a battlefield that a true soldier can be proved.
In the parable, the weed does not destroy the wheat. It only makes it more difficult for the wheat to grow to maturity. So it is with the Christian. No one can take his faith from him, but living up to it is made more difficult by the evil influence and bad example of sinners. If some succumb to this evil influence and give up the practice of their faith, the fault is theirs. God can force no man to serve him.
The patience of the farmer in letting the weed grow on until harvest time, exemplifies the infinite mercy of God toward sinners. The weed could not change its nature, but the sinner can change his ways and God gives him every chance and every help to do this, up to his last moment of life. No sinner will be excluded from heaven because of the sins he committed but because he did not repent of these sins while he had the opportunity.
We must learn a double lesson of patience from this parable. First, to be patient with those who make our spiritual progress more difficult for us—they are actually helping us to be better Christians if we bear with patience the injuries they inflict on us. Second, we must try to imitate the patience God shows in his dealings with sinners. While we must not approve of their evil deeds, or their sins, we must still look on them as our brothers and do all in our power to put them back on the right road to heaven. We can do this by good example, and by fervent prayer for their conversion. This is not easy for human nature, but we can be certain that God will give us the necessary grace and strength to subdue our natural weakness and aversion, if we try to act with charity and true brotherly interest toward our erring fellowmen.
By acting thus, we will not only be helping a weak brother on the rugged road to heaven, we will also be making doubly sure of our own arrival there, for God will never be outdone in generosity.
Excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.
16th Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness. (Romans 8:26)
If you remember nothing else about St. Paul, remember this: he loved to talk about the Holy Spirit! For just one example, take a look at chapter eight of his Letter to the Romans, and you’ll see:
The law of the Spirit of life has set us free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2)
The Spirit helps us fulfill the just requirements of the law. (8:4)
The Spirit gives us life and peace. (8:6)
God will raise us up from the dead by the Spirit. (8:11)
The Spirit helps us put to death the misdeeds of the body. (8:13)
The Spirit convinces us that we are children of God. (8:14)
The Spirit is the foretaste of our full redemption. (8:23)
Paul goes even further in today’s reading. He tells us that beyond all the points he has made so far, beyond the theology that he has outlined in this chapter, the Holy Spirit is also an intimate and compassionate friend. The Spirit knows you. He loves you. Because he is God, he knows better than anyone how to help you.
So always be encouraged when you feel at a loss or when difficulties come your way. Remember that the Spirit of God makes intercession for you. Remember that your heavenly Father hears and answers the prayers of the Holy Spirit. And always keep this in mind: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:26-31).
“Thank you, Father, for the gift of your Holy Spirit. I welcome your Spirit into my life today. Help me to yield to his work in my heart.”
Wisdom 12:13, 16-19; Psalm 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16; Matthew 13:24-43
(Wisdom 12:13,16-19; Psalm 86:5-6,9-10,15-16; Romans 8:26-27; Matthew 13:24-43)
1. In the first reading, we hear that “those who are just must be kind”. What do these words mean to you? How does the cross reflect God’s justice and kindness toward you? In what way is there a conflict between justice and kindness in your life?
2. In the responsorial psalm, we read that God is “forgiving” and “merciful”. We know that God forgives us when we confess our sins? How ready are you to forgive those who have wronged you? Why do you think we have a tendency to demand justice from God for others and but mercy for ourselves? Why is this contrary to the Gospel?
3. In the letter to the Romans, St. Paul tells us that the “Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness.” How often during the day do you turn to the Holy Spirit, present in each baptized Catholic, to seek help and guidance? What steps can you take to change that?
4. In the Gospel, we see that the smallest of actions (e.g., the sowing of a “mustard seed” and the mixing of “yeast” with flour) can have a very large effect. What small steps do you think the Lord is asking you to take in your life that could have a major impact?
5. The meditation tells us that in addition to the many ways the Holy Spirit works in our lives, he is “also an intimate and compassionate friend.” What do these words mean to you? In what ways have you experienced the Holy Spirit as “an intimate and compassionate friend”?
6. Take some time now to pray for the grace to fully yield to the work of the Holy Spirit in your life. Use the prayer at the end of the mediation as the starting point.
WE MUST REFRAIN FROM DISMISSING OTHERS
(A biblical reflection on the 16th Ordinary Sunday, 20 July 2014)
Gospel Reading: Matthew 13:24-30 (long version: Matthew 13:24-43)
First Reading: Wisdom 12:13,16-19; Psalms: Psalm 86:5-6,9-10,15-16; Second Reading: Romans 8:26-27
The Scripture Text
Another parable He put before them, saying, “The Kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the householder came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then has it weeds? He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?” But he said, ‘No; lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’” (Matthew 13:24-30 RSV)
How do you treat other people when they fall short of your expectations? Do you find yourself turning against them – maybe in your mind and heart, if not outwardly? It’s a tempting reaction but not one that Jesus recommended. In fact, His parable of the weeds among the wheat tells us not to write anyone off as hopeless. Just as the householder refrained from having the weeds pulled up for fear of uprooting the wheat (Matthew 13:29), we must refrain from dismissing others, in effect throwing out the “wheat” in their lives along with whatever we perceive the “weeds” to be.
Who are the “weedy” ones in your life – those you have given up on, those you don’t treat so well because they have pulled away from God? Look closely at your list and ask yourself whether perhaps your judgments might be contributing in some way to their bondage. Is it possible that you have a beam in your eye, something that prevents you from seeing the beauty and promise – the wheat among the weeds – within them? Even in their sin, God sees their potential and gives them opportunities to realize it through the power of His Son. He invites you to take on this attitude, too.
Today at Mass, take some time to reflect on God’ invitation to patience. Let the readings show you God’s heart and help you embrace that heart for yourself: “Although You are sovereign in strength, You judge with mildness, and with great forbearance You govern us. … You have taught Your people that the righteous must be kind” (Wisdom 12:18-19). “The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us” (Romans 8:26). Having experienced God’s mercy in your own life – and who hasn’t? – you can be patient with the imperfections of others, with the Spirit’s help. And amazingly, the more you learn to see people through the eyes of Jesus, the more you will draw them to Him. They will change. So will you.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, forgive me for having written some people off as beyond help. Knowing Your love and patience toward me, I am compelled to pray that every “hopeless case” will make it into Your Kingdom. I pray for an abundant harvest of the finest wheat. Amen.
Daily Marriage Tip for July 20, 2014:
“The Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness.” (Rom 8:26) When a difficult decision looms, ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. It can be as simple as praying, “Come, Holy Spirit!”
Scripture Study Sixteenth
Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle A
Opening prayer
Wisdom 12:13,16-19
(Ps 86:5-6,9-10,15-16)
Romans 8:26-27
Matthew 13:24-43
Overview of the Gospel:
• Last Sunday, we were introduced to Matthew 13 as a chapter of parables. This week we have three more parables, all with “growth” as a theme.
• Jesus tells another parable about a “sower”, this time one who has an enemy who secretly sows his field with weeds. This certain type of weed (called “tares” or “darnel” in some translations) contained a fungus that was poisonous to people and animals, causing severe nausea. This was sometimes done for revenge or maliciousness and the Romans had severe penalties to those caught committing such an act. These weeds look just like wheat in the early stages of growth thus making them almost impossible to remove without ruining the wheat.
• The owner of the field decides to let the wheat and the tares grow side by side until the harvest. In biblical terms, “the harvest” is often associated with a day of God’s judgment (Jeremiah 51:33; Joel 4:13; Hosea 6:11; Revelation 14:14-20).
Questions:
• What does the 1st Reading teach us about God’s might, justice and mercy? How is the way that God acts (or does not act) different from the way that we might act? What, according to the writer of the Book of Wisdom, should this teach us about God and ourselves?
• In our journey to becoming more like God, from Whom do we receive assistance? What kind of assistance does he give us?
• In the parable of the weeds (verses 24-30 and verses 36-40), who is the sower? What does the wheat represent? The weeds? The enemy? The harvest? • How does this parable relate to Matthew 7:15-20?
• Why does this parable so puzzle the disciples? Why is patience and tolerance toward unbelievers difficult for them (and for us)?
• In the parable of the mustard seed and the yeast (verses 31-33), what aspects of Jesus’ ministry seem small? What is the promise if the small seed is sown? • How does the kingdom of heaven become evident to others? • Where (in your life or in your parish) have you seen faith like “yeast” or a “mustard seed” have a great impact? Where is the harvest field God has placed you in? • What accountability are you now feeling for yourself? For others? To God? What are you “hearing” God call you to do as a result?
Catechism of the Catholic Church: §§ 827, 2284—2287, 764
Closing prayer
Jesus is the teacher of holiness. I go to him because I want him to teach me how to become a saint. Of what use to me is all I learn in school if I do not become holy? -St. Francis de Sales
Weeds Among the Wheat
Pastor’s Column
16th Sunday Ordinary Time
July 20, 2014
One of the biggest challenges to our faith is always the question, why is evil tolerated by God in the world? The parable of the Weeds Among the Wheat (Matthew 13:24-33) offers us a tremendous amount of insight as to why some people seem to get away with so much evil while God appears to look in the other direction.
Like the weeds and the wheat, we are all at present growing together in the world, but this will not always be so. There is a certain type of wheat-like plant called bearded darnel which looks so much like wheat that in its early stages an untrained eye can’t readily tell the difference between the weed and genuine wheat. This plant has adopted these characteristics to give it a better survival rate. By the time a farmer realizes what kind of plant this is, the roots would have so intertwined themselves with the good plants that to pull up the weeds would necessarily entail destroying the wheat as well. This is why the farmer in our parable decides to let them both grow together till harvest time.
Sowing these kinds of weeds in a field was common among enemies at the time of Christ (the Romans actually had laws against it), so people would’ve been very familiar with this story. To top it all off, the weed is mildly poisonous!
The Lord presently appears to tolerate those who do evil and cause others to do so (the weeds) for the sake of those who love him (the wheat). It is also his desire and will that they be given time to repent; but in the end, there will be a sorting-out by the angels and the weeds will be removed.
It can appear at first glance that the present state of affairs in the world is normal, when in fact this situation is quite temporary. At present we must live in a world where we cannot always readily distinguish the good from evil-doers, who often seem to be getting away with it. But those who habitually live evil lives do not realize that God is watching and waiting to act, holding the present world in existence for the sake of those who love him.
Therefore, the role of Christians and those who genuinely seek God is very great. God allows those who do evil to live side-by-side in this life with the good in the hope that the evil-doers (the “weeds” of our parable) will repent and become wheat. As long as we live on earth, it is not too late! How do we recognize the evil in the world and in ourselves from the good? The good will bear fruit, while evil ultimately is poisonous.
In the meantime, we live in a temporary situation where we are called to turn from evil but not judge others, which is God’s job. The parable is both a warning and a comfort: God tolerates evil for the sake of the good, but only for a little while. The final end of those who choose evil and those who choose the good could not be more different.
Father Gary
Posted by Dr. Scott Hahn on 07.18.14 |
Readings:
Wisdom 12:13,16-19
Psalm 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16
Romans 8:26-27
Matthew 13:24-43
God is always teaching His people, we hear in today’s First Reading.
And what does He want us to know? That He has care for all of us, that though He is a God of justice, even those who defy and disbelieve Him may hope for His mercy if they turn to Him in repentance.
This divine teaching continues in the three parables that Jesus tells in the Gospel today. Each describes the emergence of the kingdom of God from the seeds sown by His works and preaching. The kingdom’s growth is hidden - like the working of yeast in bread; it’s improbable, unexpected—as in the way the tall mustard tree grows from the smallest of seeds.
Again this week’s readings sound a note of questioning: Why does God permit the evil to grow alongside the good? Why does He permit some to reject the Word of His kingdom?
Because, as we sing in today’s Psalm, God is slow to anger and abounding in kindness. He is just, Jesus assures us - evildoers and those who cause others to sin will be thrown into the fiery furnace at the end of the age. But by His patience, God is teaching us—that above all He desires repentance, and the gathering of all nations to worship Him and to glorify His name.
Even though we don’t know how to pray as we ought, the Spirit will intercede for us, Paul promises in today’s Epistle. But first we must turn and call upon Him, we must commit ourselves to letting the good seed of His Word bear fruit in our lives.
So we should not be deceived or lose heart when we see weeds among the wheat, truth and holiness mixed with error, injustice and sin.
For now, He makes His sun rise on the good and the bad (see Matthew 5:45). But the harvest draws near. Let’s work that we might be numbered among the righteous children—who will shine like the sun in the kingdom of the Father.
"Where have the weeds come from?"
Sunday Word: http://usccb.org/bible/readings/072014.cfm
What purpose do weeds serve? Well, I suppose there are some but don't we do all we can to eliminate them from our gardens, our sidewalks, our flowers and orchards, our farms. Tons of money is spent on developing fertilizers and ways to prevent weeds from growing and chocking off important energy and life from more desirable plants.
Yet, in our Gospel this Sunday (below) Jesus teaches in a parable: ". . . His slaves said to him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?' he replied, 'No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest . . ." Hmm, not the most attractive garden so, as always, this parable has a deeper spiritual meaning. We learn it is a reference to the end harvest - the ultimate time when Christ will return and final justice will be meted out.
In the meantime, we have a constant chance for God's mercy to touch our lives and hearts and turn our weeds into healthy wheat. This call to conversion is the essence of the Christian Gospel. The truth is that the good, the bad, and the ugly always live together but hopefully those among the good can influence through word and deed, and the grace of God, to turn away from evil and embrace God's goodness and truth. Look at the Church or any human organization and we find a host of players.
Where do I fit? More to come . . .
Mt 13: 24 - 30
Jesus proposed another parable to the crowds, saying:
“The kingdom of heaven may be likened
to a man who sowed good seed in his field.
While everyone was asleep his enemy came
and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.
When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well.
The slaves of the householder came to him and said,
‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field?
Where have the weeds come from?’
He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’
His slaves said to him,
‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds
you might uproot the wheat along with them.
Let them grow together until harvest;
then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters,
“First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning;
but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”
"Wheat Field" (1888) by Vincent van Gogh (Wikiart.org)
A Scriptural Reflection on the Readings for Sunday, July 20, 2014 | Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time | Carl E. Olson
Readings:
• Wis 12:13, 16-19
• Ps 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16
• Rom 8:26-27
• Mt 13:24-43
What is the Kingdom of God? How does it come about? And how will it grow?
These are some of the questions addressed in the parables of Jesus, including the seven parables found in Matthew 13. As we saw last week, these parables are not simply stories with a moral, nor are they theological tracts or even pithy catechetical lessons. Parables are not, writes Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis in Fire of Mercy, Heart of the World (Ignatius Press, 2003), “a test of human intelligence that functions like riddles. Rather they are verbal strategies of grace that test the willingness of the human heart to surrender to, and be enfolded by, the always surprising generosity of Wisdom.”
Leiva-Merikakis describes a parable, strikingly, as “a coded letter left by a Lover” (p 192). He points out that the original Greek renditions of the parables are imbued with a beautiful musicality, adding even more meaning to Jesus’ exhortation: “He who has ears, let him hear” (Mt 13:9). God’s love for mankind is such that the eternal Word uses words of beauty to redeem our souls and transform our hearts.
Today’s Gospel reading contains three of the seven parables: the parables of the weeds among the wheat, the mustard seed, and the yeast (or leaven). Like the parable of the sower and seeds heard last week, all three express something about the growth of the Kingdom and how God’s word brings about that mysterious—and often unseen—growth.
Like the parable of the sower and the seeds, the parable of the weeds among the wheat has an agricultural setting. However, the parable is unique to Matthew’s Gospel and does not appear in the other Gospels. The focus is less on the response of the soil to the sower’s seeds and more on the mystery of evil and how it grows alongside what the Son of Man has planted in the field of the world. In his explanation of the parable to the disciples, Jesus draws a stark contrast between the children of the kingdom and the children of the evil one. Those who hear the word of God and reject it are the children of Satan. Having been offered light, they choose darkness (cf., Jn 1:9-11; 3:19-20).
But, as Saint Augustine noted, what is currently wheat can become a weed, and what is a weed can still become wheat “and no one knows what they will be tomorrow.” It is right to lament the sins committed by sons and daughters of the Church. But we shouldn’t be blind to our own weaknesses, nor to the ravenous appetite of the devil, who “is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet 5:8). Mindful of our failings, as the Apostle Paul exhorts the Romans in today’s epistle, we must trust in the Holy Spirit, who “comes to the aid of our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we ought.”
The parable of the mustard seed, although short, is memorable in its imagery, especially in the comparison between the largeness of the bush (growing to ten feet in height) and the smallness of the seed. Its central meaning is that the works of God often begin in small ways and are usually ignored or missed by the world. The temptation for the children of the Kingdom is to become impatient, forgetting that this tree has now been growing for thousands of years, and will continue to grow until the end of time.
Even shorter is the parable of the yeast, or leaven. From what seems to be of little consequence comes a super abundance, a theme echoing the reality of the Incarnation and the stunning truth of the empty tomb. It is Christ, the lover of mankind, who is the leaven. And it is through his death and Resurrection and by his Body and Blood that we are leavened—transformed and transferred into the always growing kingdom of the Son (Col 1:13).
(This "Opening the Word" column originally appeared in the July 20, 2008, edition of Our Sunday Visitor newspaper.)
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