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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.
- He intercedes for the holy ones. How do I cooperate with the Spirit in prayer and action?
- 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.”’”