Tag: discipleship

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Coming Home

cross with sun shining behind it

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Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Mass Readings

First Reading: Isaiah 56:1, 6-7
Responsorial: Psalm 67:2-3, 5-6, 8
Second Reading: Romans 11:13-15, 29-32
Gospel: Matthew 15:21-28

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081620.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

While we were in Prague, we made a point to go to the Church of Our Lady Victorious to see the Infant of Jesus of Prague. The pastor, Padre Anastasio Roggero, a Discalced Carmelite friar, shared with us some of the history of his mission in Prague and his missionary work in Africa. He mentioned that since the pandemic began, he’s seen a lot more locals at church – people he has never seen in his 20+ years at the shrine. I would suggest there are many reasons for this, not least of which is worry about the pandemic, income, and all the strange events occurring this year.

One of the great blessings of the pandemic is that so many faith communities are streaming masses online as well as other devotions. There are even small faith communities that have arranged rosaries via Zoom, WhatsApp or other streaming services. It’s evangelization at its finest and I think it’s beautiful.

As people – people we don’t know and maybe have never seen before – come to the pews or through online avenues to pray, I think we all as disciples need to be sensitive to their needs. Maybe they are not ready to fully reconnect with the Church. Maybe at some level they are embarrassed or afraid, so they try to stay at the margins. We disciples of Christ Jesus need to be ready to reach out to them if only with a warm and welcoming smile. And we need to be ready to answer even their most basic of questions, like point out where the restrooms are at church.

We shouldn’t be worried or bothered or angry that strangers are showing up in our churches. Our whole mission is supposed to be about reaching out and to bring them home. As our response to today’s psalm reminds us, “O God, let all the nations praise you!” In a way, all three readings today talk about people coming to the faith.

Isaiah tells us that as long as they join themselves to the Lord, the foreigners are welcome. He outlines some very basic requirements; the point is that the doors of the Kingdom are open to everyone who is willing to accept the Lord.

Paul builds on this idea in our second reading from Romans. His mission was to go out the Gentiles and to the Jews, (see Acts 9:15, ‘Go, because this one is a chosen vessel to carry my name before Gentiles and kings and children of Israel). <1> This is a bit of an aside, but interestingly he introduces a bit of divine irony. Just as the Chosen had been punished in the Old Testament for imitating their pagan neighbors in the past, now Paul hopes they will imitate the Gentiles who have found faith in God through Christ Jesus. The point is that we must be willing to reach out and accept all those coming home who want to rekindle their faith in God through Jesus.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus uses rather harsh language to try to put off a Canaanite who is begging him for God’s mercy. But the power of her faith is so compelling, that Jesus grants her request. This reinforces the idea that God’s mercy and compassion are available to everyone!

Now let’s talk a little bit about this Canaanite woman – specifically about her beautiful prayer. From the Gospel, we can determine that she is not a Jew. But that doesn’t stop her from asking for God’s help through Jesus. Let’s look at how she approaches Jesus.

She comes to Jesus with faith. By calling him “Lord”, she trusts his divine authority and believes with every fiber of her being that Jesus will deliver. She persistently asks Jesus three times for help. And she is humble before the Lord even bearing the insult of being compared to a dog. She knows she has no claim to God or to Jesus, but she prostrates before Jesus and begs him for his help. <2>

She gives us a really a simple and beautiful example of prayer. I think this is important because some of the people who are coming to church may be in such a state that they do not know where to begin or even how to pray. But the Canaanite woman’s simple example is a great starting place for us in our own faith lives, and for those who need a refresher on how to talk with God.

Bottom line: be ready to help welcome people you don’t know to church. If they or someone you know needs some help praying to God, teach them the simple formula from today’s Gospel. First, approach God with faith. Second, be persistent in prayer. You may need to bring your petition to God multiple times. Finally, come in humility acknowledging that God is God, and that neither you nor I are a god.

Homework! Nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist, I encourage you to reflect on the following two questions this week:

  1. How is my prayer life? Maybe I could give the Canaanite woman’s method of prayer a try, just so I am able to share it with others?
  2. How can I be a welcoming presence in my faith community, both in-person and online?

I think doing our homework today will help us as disciples welcome the stranger. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

Image Credit: Cross of Jesus Christ. JPEG file. Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Christianity-Jesus_Christ_Died_for_your_Sin.jpg

Notes:
<1> Scott W. Hahn and Curtis Mitch, Romans, Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academics, 2017) chap. “God’s Mercy for All: Romans 11:1-36”, sec. “Apostleship to the Gentiles (11:11-16)”, Kindle.
<2> Curtis Mitch and Edward Sri, The Gospel of Matthew, Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010) chap. “Healing the Canaanite Woman’s Daughter and the Crowds (15:21-31)”, sec. 198, Kindle.

References:
1. Hahn, Scott W. and Curtis Mitch. Romans. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academics, 2017. Kindle.
2. Mitch, Curtis and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010. Kindle.
3. The Bible: A Study Bible freshly translated by Nicholas King. Buxhall, Suffolk UK: Kevin Mayhew, 2013.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. God’s love for Israel, 218-19
2. Jesus as Lord, 448-50
3. Kingdom first to Israel, 543-44
4. Israel’s unbelief, 591
5. Israel and the new Messiah, 674, 840
6. The catholicity of the Church, 831, 849
7. God’s mercy, 1037, 1846, 2040
8. Praying with faith, 2610

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081620.cfm
Lectionary: 118

Reading 1
Isaiah 56:1, 6-7
Thus says the LORD:
Observe what is right, do what is just;
for my salvation is about to come,
my justice, about to be revealed.

The foreigners who join themselves to the LORD,
ministering to him,
loving the name of the LORD,
and becoming his servants—
all who keep the sabbath free from profanation
and hold to my covenant,
them I will bring to my holy mountain
and make joyful in my house of prayer;
their burnt offerings and sacrifices
will be acceptable on my altar,
for my house shall be called
a house of prayer for all peoples.

Responsorial
Psalm 67
R. (4) O God, let all the nations praise you!
May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
among all nations, your salvation.
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide.
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you!
May God bless us,
and may all the ends of the earth fear him!
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!

Reading 2
Romans 11:13-15, 29-32
Brothers and sisters:
I am speaking to you Gentiles.
Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles,
I glory in my ministry in order to make my race jealous
and thus save some of them.
For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world,
what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?

For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.
Just as you once disobeyed God
but have now received mercy because of their disobedience,
so they have now disobeyed in order that,
by virtue of the mercy shown to you,
they too may now receive mercy.
For God delivered all to disobedience,
that he might have mercy upon all.

Alleluia Matthew 4:23
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the kingdom
and cured every disease among the people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Matthew 15:21-28
At that time, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out,
“Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David!
My daughter is tormented by a demon.”
But Jesus did not say a word in answer to her.
Jesus’ disciples came and asked him,
“Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.”
He said in reply,
“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
But the woman came and did Jesus homage, saying, “Lord, help me.”
He said in reply,
“It is not right to take the food of the children
and throw it to the dogs.”
She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps
that fall from the table of their masters.”
Then Jesus said to her in reply,
“O woman, great is your faith!
Let it be done for you as you wish.”
And the woman’s daughter was healed from that hour.

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19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Photography of painting by Ivan Aivazovsky, Jesus walks on the water

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Mass Readings

First Reading: 1 Kings 19:9A, 11-13A
Responsorial: Psalm 85:9-14
Second Reading: Romans 9:1-5
Gospel: Matthew 14:22-33

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/080920.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

I think we can all agree that 2020 has so far been a crazy year! And the year isn’t over yet! Everything has been up ended and undoubtedly many of our plans have been slowed down or completely derailed this year.

This year has been a powerful reminder that we are not in control. And that lack of control can cause us great anxiety. We see that playing out in the social unrest particularly in the United States. What happens when we start to get nervous or anxious? We circle the wagons. We become defensive. As we seek to protect ourselves and our families, we are convinced that we are right and they are wrong – whoever “they” are (protestors, anti-maskers and pro-maskers, conservatives or liberals). It doesn’t matter what it is. It’s our effort to try to regain our sense of control.

But disasters continue to strike.

Whether it’s a New Zealand volcano, or wildfires in Australia or California, locusts in Africa, flooding and earthquakes in Puerto Rico, to COVID-19, when natural disasters strike, great uncertainty rises.

Some people have suggested to me that everything we’re experiencing are punishments by God – that God is trying to get our attention. But our first reading from 1 Kings, I think, refutes this idea. Elijah couldn’t find God in the strong and heavy winds. He couldn’t find Him in the earthquake, and he couldn’t find Him in the fire.

Even the disciples into today’s Gospel reading from Matthew undoubtedly experienced anxiety and fear as their boat was being tossed around by the waves. Why were they anxious? Maybe it’s because they realized they have no control.

Just as Elijah found God in a whispering sound, so too did the disciples catch the whisper of a image on the waters. They were so consumed with fear and doubt that they assumed it was a ghost. Can you picture this scene? Here’s a group of grown men who are devout believers in God and who follow Jesus, in a boat being tossed around by the waves. What did they do? They started screaming with fear.

Jesus speaks to them almost as if to say, “Get ahold of yourselves, men!” But is it really Jesus? Peter decides to test Jesus by saying that if it was Jesus, he could command Peter to come out to him. It’s almost as if Jesus shrugs and says, “sure, come out!” And Peter does, but as soon as he feels the wind on him – as soon as his confidence is shaken by what’s going on around him – he starts to sink. Only then does he call out and beg the Lord for help.

Jesus reaches out to Peter and steadies him. Isn’t that awesome?

Isn’t that just like life? Sometimes crap happens. We can choose to run around screaming like people of little faith, like the disciples in the boat, or we can keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. We may not know what will happen next or how things will get sorted out. But when we place our faith in Jesus and not in our sense of control, then it doesn’t matter what life throws at us. We can weather any storm.

Does that mean it’s going to be easy? No, of course not! Maybe everything going on causes us to look at our expenses. Maybe we need to reach out for help. Maybe we need to let our adult children move back home for a while. Maybe we need to put a little more away into savings. Maybe that means that we need to have actual conversations with those we don’t agree with – you know the kind where sometimes you get to speak and other times you need to listen to what the other person says? Whatever it is, we can face it because Jesus is with us and he won’t let us sink.

Homework! Nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist, I encourage you to reflect on the following two questions this week:

  1. Do I place more faith in Jesus than in my plans?
  2. How do I share the good news with others that Jesus will help us in good times and bad?

I think doing our homework today will strengthen our faith as disciples. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

Image Credit: Jesus walks on the water, by Ivan Aivazovsky (1888). JPEG file.
This is a faithful photographic reproduction of a two-dimensional, public domain work of art. The work of art itself is in the public domain for the following reason: Public domain. This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author’s life plus 100 years or fewer. This photographic reproduction is therefore also considered to be in the public domain in the United States. Faithful reproduction photographs are not subject to copyright in Switzerland.

References:
1. Hahn, Scott W. and Curtis Mitch. Romans. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academics, 2017.
2. Mitch, Curtis and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010.
3. The Bible: A Study Bible freshly translated by Nicholas King. Buxhall, Suffolk UK: Kevin Mayhew, 2013.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. History of the covenants; God’s love for Israel, 54-64, 121-22, 218-19
2. Faith experiences testing, 164
3. Only faith can follow mysterious ways of providence, 272-74
4. Jesus the divine Son, 444
5. Jesus the divine Lord, 448-49
6. In difficult times, cultivate trust that all is subject to Christ, 671-72
7. The Church and the Jewish people, 839-40
8. Faith and doubt, 2088
9. Moses, the mediator and intercessor, 2574-77

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/080920.cfm
Lectionary: 115

Reading 1
1 Kings 19:9A, 11-13A
At the mountain of God, Horeb,
Elijah came to a cave where he took shelter.
Then the LORD said to him,
“Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD;
the LORD will be passing by.”
A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains
and crushing rocks before the LORD—
but the LORD was not in the wind.
After the wind there was an earthquake—
but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
After the earthquake there was fire—
but the LORD was not in the fire.
After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound.
When he heard this,
Elijah hid his face in his cloak
and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 85:9-14
R. (8) Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD — for he proclaims peace.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and prepare the way of his steps.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

Reading 2
Romans 9:1-5
Brothers and sisters:
I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie;
my conscience joins with the Holy Spirit in bearing me witness
that I have great sorrow and constant anguish in my heart.
For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ
for the sake of my own people,
my kindred according to the flesh.
They are Israelites;
theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants,
the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises;
theirs the patriarchs, and from them,
according to the flesh, is the Christ,
who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.

Alleluia Psalm 130:5
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I wait for the Lord;
my soul waits for his word.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Matthew 14:22-33
After he had fed the people, Jesus made the disciples get into a boat
and precede him to the other side,
while he dismissed the crowds.
After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.
When it was evening he was there alone.
Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore,
was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.
During the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them walking on the sea.
When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.
“It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear.
At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Peter said to him in reply,
“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
He said, “Come.”
Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.
But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened;
and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter,
and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
After they got into the boat, the wind died down.
Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying,
“Truly, you are the Son of God.”

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This Too Shall Pass

picture of red umbrella in monochrome picture of a deck

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Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Mass Readings

First Reading: Wisdom 12:13, 16-19
Responsorial: Psalm 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16
Second Reading: Romans 8:26-27
Gospel: Matthew 13:24-43

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/071920.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

My brothers and sisters, peace be with you! I know that, “peace,” sounds a bit strange right now, especially if you’ve been following the news. It feels like we’re facing a torrential storm armed only with an umbrella. There’s so much anger spilling over into senseless violence, destruction of monuments and even desecration churches. It’s hard to imagine how we got here. But we are here and the here and now demands a response. The Good News is that we do not have to do this alone.

In our first reading from the Book of Wisdom we are reminded of God’s compassion and mercy, and I think that gives us some insight into what needs to happen. How many of us have ever had the experience of losing our tempers and saying things we regretted? Maybe we don’t believe that our idea or what we said was wrong, but how we said it was just awful – definitely not the way we were raised.

Before we can move forward, we need to stop and apologize. It doesn’t matter how right we were, if we hurt someone in the process, we need to apologize. I think now more than ever, we all need to help facilitate God’s forgiveness in the world. We need to be agents of peace and reconciliation, ready to give a hug rather than a rebuke – a lending handing rather than a clenched fist. It starts with us. We need to ask God to still our racing hearts and quiet our anxious minds so that we can help.

One of the parables Jesus gives us in today’s Gospel from Matthew is about the wheat and weeds. It’s an interesting parable to consider. How, I wonder, is it possible now in these strange times for God to produce good things, like the wheat from the parable, when the it seems that the garden is choked with weeds?

To do this requires prayer – maybe a ton of prayer! But how? Maybe you’re feeling off balance – so hurt – so convinced that our world is going to hell, that you’re not sure where to begin. That’s ok. Because the Spirit is here to help us pray. That’s what St. Paul is telling us in our second reading today. Maybe that groaning deep in your heart isn’t some form of depression, but the Spirit trying to praise God. The Spirit tries to give voice to our deepest pain and yearning even when we don’t have the words.

That is good news! There is hope! How do I know?

Look at today’s Gospel reading. Jesus gives us a parable, then He gives us another parable – and then another one. He keeps giving us parable after parable. You know why? Because Jesus doesn’t give up on us. He keeps giving us parables in the hope that one of them will connect – that we’ll get it. If Jesus isn’t ready to give up on us, then we shouldn’t give up either.

This storm will end. This too shall pass. I can’t tell you when and I can’t tell you how, but at some point, we will all set down our umbrellas and face the dawn of a new tomorrow. How can I be sure? Because I am a Christian! Jesus Christ died and rose from the dead. His resurrection gives me hope in God’s promise that despite the challenges we face, we are saved! That is the faith of mustard seed ready to grow large. My brothers and sisters, that is Good News!

Homework! Nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist, please reflect on the following questions.

  1. He intercedes for the holy ones. How do I cooperate with the Spirit in prayer and action?
  2. You, O Lord, are good and forgiving. In what ways can I lead my community to acts of healing and reconciliation?

I think our homework today will help us as disciples respond in prayer to God and help bring healing into a world that desperately needs the light of Jesus Christ. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

Image Credit: Unknown. JPEG file.

References:
1. Hahn, Scott W. and Curtis Mitch. Romans. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academics, 2017.
2. Mitch, Curtis and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010.
3. The Bible: A Study Bible freshly translated by Nicholas King. Buxhall, Suffolk UK: Kevin Mayhew, 2013.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Destiny of creation, 280, 1046-48
2. God’s goodness and the scandal of evil, 309-14
3. Christ and angels, 333
4. The Kingdom of God, 543-50
5. Prayer in the Spirit, 741, 2736, 2766
6. Weeds and seed of Gospel in everyone and in the Church, 825, 827
7. Church as holy, 827
8. Resurrection of the body, 989-91
9. Hell, 1034
10. Need for ongoing conversion, 1425-29
11. Future glory, 1721
12. Christian hope, 1817-21
13. Prayer of petition voiced profoundly by the Holy Spirit, 2630

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/071920.cfm
Lectionary: 106

Reading 1
Wisdom 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 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
Romans 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.

Alleluia
CF. Matthew 11:25
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Matthew 13:24-43 OR 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.”’”

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

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.”’”