Today's Gospel

Gospel Mt 13:24-30 Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds. “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.”’”

One of the first things that I notice is the excessive number of quotation marks that conclude this pericope. They're needed because of all the internal quotations in the body of the text. So much for English grammar.

People want to fix problems---or they want their problems fixed---and fast. The quick fix is so typically American, and few of us are immune to wanting it. Our technology has given us an edge in so many situations in life where health or comfort is desired. The wise person knows that, a) some things can never be fixed in this life; and b) sometimes the quick fix is not the best solution to the problem at hand. Christian history is replete with disgraceful examples of wanting to pull up the weeds before the harvest. Part of our faith is to remember that God is the husbandman, and he will decide from his infinite knowledge when the time for harvest has come. Faith says relax, let go our our attempts to get things all fixed up, and let God handle these situations.