Matthew 13, 24-30
FAITH CELEBRATED
24 Jesus put another parable before them, ‘The kingdom of Heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.
25 While everybody was asleep his enemy came, sowed darnel all among the wheat, and made off.
26 When the new wheat sprouted and ripened, then the darnel appeared as well.
27 The owner’s labourers went to him and said, “Sir, was it not good seed that you sowed in your field? If so, where does the darnel come from?”
28 He said to them, “Some enemy has done this.” And the labourers said, “Do you want us to go and weed it out?”
29 But he said, “No, because when you weed out the darnel you might pull up the wheat with it.
30 Let them both grow till the harvest; and at harvest time I shall say to the reapers: First collect the darnel and tie it in bundles to be burnt, then gather the wheat into my barn.”‘
Source
The New Jerusalem Bible 1985.
PARABLE IN CONTEXT OF MATTHEW’S GOSPEL
Starting with the parable of the sower last Sunday, the lectionary authors lead us to ponder chapter 13 of Matthew’s gospel for another two Sundays on his discourse of seven parables. This Sunday’s parable of the “darnel among wheat” is the first of the parables revealing what the mystery of the “kingdom of heaven” is like.
PARABLE IN JESUS’ CONTEXT
First-century Mediterranean societies in Jesus’ time are considered agonistic or conflict-oriented. Owing to hostile first contacts and long drawn family feuds people are born into families with inherited friends and enemies. That an enemy had sowed darnel or weed seeds in the field of another farmer is taken in a matter-of-fact manner.
An agonistic society also highly values honour and abhors shame. So commentators believe a primary motive on the part of the enemy is ultimately to shame the farmer. As the story continues this becomes apparent when the darnel — identified as the weed Lolium temulentum — which mimic wheat plants start to appear, much to the amusement of bystanders and people in the village.
Wheat and darnel or tares
Wheat and darnel or tares
Has the farmer followed the workers’ prompting in acting according to common practice he might have been laughed at further for destroying a good part of his crop as the workers try to weed out the darnel. The genius of the farmer’s response is to do nothing until harvest time by having the wheat gathered into barns and as bonus, by using the darnel as added fuel. So the last laugh is on the enemy who is dishonoured and shamed instead.
MESSAGE IN PARABLE
The landowner refuses to react to the enemy’s challenge by taking revenge as customarily expected and thereby intensifying the mindless violence. Instead his counter-cultural response initiates a movement which breaks the vicious cycle of feuding families and neighbouring farmers. Something noticeably new thus enters into that society and its customary ways.
The simple story in a parable points always to a more sublime message, beyond farming techniques or cultural mores. As in last Sunday’s parable of the sower, the surprise lies in revealing a face of God contrary to human expectations. The allegory in the longer reading [vv 36-43] – considered an addition and to be read more fruitfully in the later context of first-century Christians’ life situation – notwithstanding, the parable portrays a compassionate God who creates all things good. Through the misuse of human freedom the primordial good is coloured by evil in the world and in each human. This merciful God waits in patience until the end to pass judgement.
Sources consulted:
Bruce J Malina and Richard L Rohrbaugh, Social-Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels. Fortress Press 2003.
John J Pilch, The Cultural World of Jesus, Sunday by Sunday, Cycle A. The Liturgical Press 1995.
FAITH KNOWN
In catechesing adults, adolescents, and children themes derived from the gospel passage could be developed.
Key themes include:
Parables as mirrors of Christ’s teaching on God and his Kingdom.
The Church is holy … of sinners.
WORD – CREED
Mat 13, 24-30 > CCC 827
Parable of Weeds among Wheat
The parable depicts the Church as at once holy owing to its divine origin and always in need of purification. In its members the weed of sin remain mixed with the good wheat of the Gospel until the end of time.
Source
Catechism of the Catholic Church, Burns & Oates 2006.
FAITH LIVED
EVANGELIZING ALL
For the Church, evangelising means bringing the good news into all the strata of humanity, and through its influence transforming humanity from within and making it new.
Paul 6th Apostollic Exhortation 1975
Evangelization in the modern world – Evangelii nuntiandi 18
GOD’S SAVING LOVE WITHIN WORLD WOUNDED BY SIN
The definitive salvation that God offers to all humanity through his own Son does not come about outside of this world. While wounded by sin, the world is destined to undergo a radical purification (cf. 2 Pet 3:10) that will make it a renewed world (cf. Is 65:17, 66:22; Rev 21:1), finally becoming the place where “righteousness dwells” (2 Pet 3:13). In his public ministry, Jesus makes use of natural elements. Not only is he a knowledgeable interpreter of nature, speaking of it in images and parables, but he also dominates it (cf. the episode of the calming of the storm in Mt 14:22-33; Mk 6:45-52; Lc 8:22-25; Jn 6:16-21).
The Lord puts nature at the service of his plan of redemption. He asks his disciples to look at things, at the seasons and at people with the trust of children who know that they will never be abandoned by a provident Father (cf. Lk 11:11-13). Far from being enslaved by things, the disciple of Jesus must know how to use them in order to bring about sharing and brotherhood (cf. Lk 16:9-13).
Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace 2009
Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church 453
FAITH PRAYED
INTENTIONS OF POPE FRANCIS
With the Pope and the universal Church we pray:
- That sports may always be occasions of human fraternity and growth.
- That the Holy Spirit may support the work of the laity who proclaim the Gospel in the poorest countries.
TIME IS GREATER THAN SPACE
Pope Francis in The joy of the gospel – Evangelii gaudium alerts pastoral agents against our egotistical sloth which turns in on ourselves and thereby paralyzes us in our evangelizing commitment. He exhorts us to spend ourselves for the common good as we proclaim the Gospel of peace.
One criterion he provides us to discern on in order not to be deceived by what could lure us into self-centred gazing is the principle that “time is greater than space” [222-225].
“Space” has to do with “fullness” which evokes the desire for complete possession. When we prioritize “space,” we attempt to “keep everything together in the present, trying to possess all the spaces of power and self-assertion.”
To give priority to “time” is to be concerned with “initiating processes rather than possessing spaces.” As the Pope continues:
What we need, then, is to give priority to actions which generate new processes in society and engage other persons and groups who can develop them to the point where they bear fruit in significant historical events [223].
In living this criterion in evangelization, pastoral agents need to “work slowly but surely.” In light of the parable of the “darnel among wheat” we are to work with enduring patience “without being obsessed with immediate results.” Pope Francis ends this section by noting:
The Lord himself, during his earthly life, often warned his disciples that there were things they could not yet understand and that they would have to await the Holy Spirit (cf. Jn 16:12-13). The parable of the weeds among the wheat (cf. Mt 13:24-30) graphically illustrates an important aspect of evangelization: the enemy can intrude upon the kingdom and sow harm, but ultimately he is defeated by the goodness of the wheat [225].
Pope Francis
Encyclical Letter 2013
The joy of the gospel – Evangelii gaudium 222-225.
As we pray in discerning our pastoral ministries and evangelizing activities,
- what do we prioritize in our ministries?
- where is the place of God’s goodness in the wheat as we encounter the darnel in what obstruct our ministries?
FAITH IN COMMUNITY FOR MISSION
Reflecting on the criterion of “time is greater than space” how might our
families as domestic churches and
BECs as mini-parishes
- live out our common Christian vocation slowly but surely toward clear goals and objectives regarding our growth,
- adopt a non-sectarian attitude toward diverse ways of living our life in the Spirit, and
- be more patient, tolerant, and accepting of others who do not journey in faith with us?
FAITH CONVERTED
As I ponder on this parable
- what darnel in my life do I need to weed out and
- what graces do I sense the Lord of the harvest wants me to live out more fruitfully for and with others?
till Christ is formed 