Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

Let us pray.

Saving God,
in Jesus Christ you opened for us
a new and living way into your presence:
give us pure hearts and constant wills
to worship you in spirit and in truth;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

1  O Lord, you have searched me out and known me:
you know when I sit or when I stand, you comprehend my thoughts long before.
2  You discern my path and the places where I rest:
you are acquainted with all my ways.
3  For there is not a word on my tongue:
but you, Lord, know it altogether.
4  You have encompassed me behind and before:
and have laid your hand upon me.
5  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me:
so high that I cannot endure it.
6  Where shall I go from your spirit:
or where shall I flee from your presence?
7  If I ascend into heaven you are there:
if I make my bed in the grave you are there also.
8  If I spread out my wings towards the morning:
or dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
9  Even there your hand shall lead me:
and your right hand shall hold me.
10  If I say ‘Surely the darkness will cover me:
and the night will enclose me’,
11  The darkness is no darkness with you, but the night is as clear as the day:
the darkness and the light are both alike.
23  Search me out, O God, and know my heart:
put me to the proof and know my thoughts.
24  Look well lest there be any way of wickedness in me:
and lead me in the way that is everlasting.

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans.

Brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh – for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ – if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labour pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

For the word of the Lord,
thanks be to God.

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus put before the crowd another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, “Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?” He answered, “An enemy has done this.” The slaves said to him, “Then do you want us to go and gather them?” But he replied, “No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’

Then Jesus left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, ‘Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.’ He answered, ‘The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 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 causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!’

For the Gospel of the Lord,
praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Possibly one of our most common mistakes and sins is our strong tendency to judge other people. The parable before us this week is about the Weeds (darnel) and the Wheat.  One of Jesus’ purposes in telling this parable is to encourage us to be more inclusive in our thinking and in our attitudes to others.

The weeds begin to appear among the wheat in field.  The advice given is to let the weeds be in the field – allow them to flourish along with the wheat then at harvest time the two will be sorted out.  As Jesus explains the parable is about good and evil co-existing in the world.  It is not always easy to tell the difference between darnel and wheat because their roots may be intertwined beneath the surface of the soil.

Possibly this is a parable about the power of the Kingdom of God. In other parables Jesus explains how yeast transforms dough to make a loaf of scrumptious bread.  So all people will have it in them to be changed by God. This is remarkably inclusive talk by Jesus.  We are so inclined to judge people of whom we disapprove and we consign them to wherever for good. – get them out of the way or throw the key away.

Jesus tells that it is much more important for us to get on with our mission in life than to waste time and energy judging other people. It is appallingly daunting to think of the damage which has been done by Christian people over the years. They have succumbed to the temptation to be judgemental.

Most people throughout the world long for the same things, many of with which we are blessed in Australia.  Before we judge people who try to migrate to Australia, for example, we can try to imagine being in their shoes, facing their dire problems and underneath it all longing to live peaceably with opportunity – say, in Australia.  It must be an enormous challenge to leave one’s home and friends to live elsewhere. Just as children and parents can be tearful when children leave home to live elsewhere – be it suburb, another state or another country. These tears are shed as people leave their homes and friends in other countries too.  We share with them immense difficulties and challenges in life.

This parable counsels patience when dealing with other people we dislike. Be tolerant and patient as the owner is with the weeds and wheat in his field.  In time wonderful change and development can happen.

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love you above all things and I desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come spiritually into my heart. I embrace you as if you were already there, and unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.