16TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIMEAre we seeds in the hands of God? Or are we weeds in the hands of Satan?Wisdom of Solomon 12:13, 16-19
Romans 8:26-27
Mathew 13:24-43 Dear Friends in Jesus Christ, how are you all? Today’s readings invite us to pluck the weeds from our hearts and to plant God’s seeds into our lives. To plant God’s seed the Third person of Trinity that is the Holy Spirit is interceding for us all. And God wants to bless you and your family today because God has chosen you as children of God.
Friends in Christ, at present the whole world is terrified with Covid-19 pandemic. The death rate is increasing day by day; the fearful atmosphere is terrifying everyone; many of the people have lost their jobs; salary is nil; the future lives of the students is a question mark. Thus the whole creation of God waits for its liberation. As St. Paul beautifully says in the letter to Romans 8:22“For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now”. But today God is assuring us that His children will be like seeds in the hands of God. The seed in God’s hand will produce hundred fold.
In the gospel we read that the owner of the vineyard prepares the ground, selects the good seeds and sows in the field but the enemy sows the weeds. Both the seeds and weeds grow together but at the end of the harvest the seeds are collected and preserved whereas the weeds too are collected not for preservation but for destroying.
When I think of this passage I am remembering of my childhood days. The seed undergoes 4 kinds process to become better seed in order to produce hundred fold. 1. Selection 2. Preparation 3.Preservation 4.Plantation.
When I was a child, at the time of harvesting, my father used to instruct me to go to the field and select the good matured seeds of paddy or groundnuts for the next plantation. This selected seeds will undergo lot of preparation. Once the preparation is over the seeds will be preserved. After 8 to 9 months, the seeds are taken to the fields for the plantation. And this seed will yield hundred fold.
Whereas the weeds do not undergo any process. It hides itself along with the seeds. When the seeds are sown, the weed also grows along. It takes the water, energy, and manure from the ground. The seeds produce good harvest whereas the weeds produce only weeds. As Jesus says in Mt 7: 17-18 “Every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. “A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit”. Each tree is identified by its fruits. Today are we producing good seeds or bad weeds. Seeds are preserved but weeds are burnt and destroyed. Do you like to be preserved or to be destroyed? Let’s reflect ourselves today.
THE FOUR PROCESS OF GOOD SEEDS
1. SELECTION:
God selects from the time of creation to now. From animal kingdom and vegetation, human kingdom was selected by God. God selects human beings into His image and likeness. Thus human kingdom Adam and Eve were different from other creation of God. In the time of flood only the family of Noah was selected others were left, Abraham was selected others were left; in the time of famine woman of Zarephath was selected rest of them died out of famine. “I tell you truthfully that there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and great famine swept over all the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to the widow of Zarephath in Sidon (Mk 4:25, 1 Kings 17:7-16); Israelites were selected and other nationalities were left out.
In the New Testament God also selects. There were many women in Nazarath only Mother Mary was selected; Jesus selected the Apostles. today you and I are precious in the sight of God. As we read John 15:16: “You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain”.
So dear friends, selection of God continues even now. For example during this pandemic most of the churches are closed but you are privileged to attend the holy mass because you and your house hold members are selected.
Dear friends why did God select me and my Family?
Dear fathers and sisters why did God select me as priest and sister?
2. PREPARATION:
The seed undergoes lot of preparation before sowing. Preparation is very much necessary for its growth. In the same way God also prepares the persons whom He selects. for example God Selected Adam and Eve and God also prepared them by His instruction saying Gen 2:16-17“The LORD God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” God prepares our first parents in order to remain closer to God. When Noah was selected, God instructed him to prepare an ark Gen 6: 14 “Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with rooms, and shall cover it inside and out with pitch”. God prepares Noah to see His glorious things. Prophet Elijah called to her and said, “Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand.” (1king 17:11, 15) So she went and did according to the word of Elijah. Elijah prepares the widow to face the great famine.
Also Jesus prepares his disciples to be different:
“Come, follow me…and I will make you fishers of men” was His instruction (Matthew 4:19). Their occupation of fishing; their occupation of collecting taxes changed them for a mission of calling people for the kingdom of God. In the same way today God prepares you and me with different people; with different experiences for His different mission. As we read in Prov 17:3 “Gold and silver are tested by fire, and a person's heart is tested by the Lord”. so dear friends do we accept God’s preparation in our lives?
3. PRESERVATION.
God preserves all his chosen ones. For example “I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6) Though Adam and Eve have sinned they did not undergo physical death immediately by their disobedience rather they are preserved. In the time of flood the LORD said to Noah, “Enter the ark, you and your entire household, for you alone I have seen to be righteous before Me in this time” Gen7:1. Noah and his family were preserved because they were selected. During the famine the widow and her only son ate for many days. “The bowl of flour was not exhausted nor did the jar of oil become empty, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke through Elijah” 1 king 17:16. This family was preserved from starvation.
In the New Testament Jesus preserves his disciples by praying to His father John 17:12 ‘While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost…Holy Father, keep safe within the power of your name those whom you have entrusted to my care, so that they may be one in heart, mind, and purpose just as we are one in heart, mind, and purpose’ Jesus preserves them with sanctification. And Jesus says For their sake I sanctify Myself, that they may be sanctified in truth.. Hence we understand that Jesus preserves His disciples by praying to His father. Thus we understand God preserves all his chosen ones. As the psalmist says, in Psalm 28:8 “The LORD protects his chosen one. He saves him and gives him strength”. When God created me, I am preserved by the Holy Spirit if so how come the works of Satan entered into my life? Today, am I protected by God or Satan?
4. PLANTATION:
The seed is selected, prepared, protected for the plantation. In the same way God’s children are selected, prepared, protected so that they can bear fruit. as we read in John 15:16 “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give you. From Adam a new creation was dawn. With Noah all sinful creation have died and chosen family of Noah was planted in God’s Garden. Prophet Jeremiah was called to plant the kingdom of God. The disciples are called to plant the kingdom of God and bear fruit.
Dear friends today God wants us to act like seeds because we have the original nature of God’s image. We are selected, preserved, protected and planted in the field. Now it is our turn to bear fruits. Are we going to produce seeds or weeds?
How to produce Seeds
By undergoing these 4 kinds of process we can produce good seeds. sometimes due to our human weakness we may be exhausted, the worldly problems may make us to be worried, etc but keep in mind through the second reading St. Paul says that the spirit of God helps us in our weaknesses. And the spirit of God searches the hearts and minds of His chosen people and Spirit himself intercedes for us when we are groaning with difficulties and problems. God Selects, He Prepares, He Protects and He plants. Hence our duty is only to co-operate with him. If we journey with God we can produce hundred fold.
When the weeds are produced?
In the gospel text we read that when the owner and the servants were sleeping the enemy sowed the weeds. If the owner and the servants were awake then it would be difficult for the enemy to sow the weeds. So dear friends let’s be awake from our sleep to fight against the enemy. Jesus at the garden of Gethsemane, asks the disciples Mt 26:40-41,44“ He Came to the disciples and Found them sleeping, and Said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? “Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time.
When they were sleeping Jesus instructs them to be awake and pray. But second time when they were sleeping Jesus leaves them alone and goes for prayer.
Dear friends we need to understand the way of God. When we go wrong God instructs us, if we listen and amend our ways we will become children of God. But sometimes we do not listen to the voice of God. Still, God respects our freedom and waits for us to return. If we are awake we can fight against the enemies of Satan. St. Peter boldly says that how the Satan is working in his 1 Pt 5:8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Hence Satan is 24 hours at work. In the same way God also never sleeps Psalm 21:4 Behold, He who keeps Israel Will neither slumber nor sleep. therefore our God is always awake to make us worthy children of God.
Why did the owner allow the seeds and weed to grow together?
In today’s Gospel we read that the master says to the servants do not remove the weeds. Let them grow together. At the time of harvest we can separate the seeds from the weeds. In the same way in today’s world good people and bad people live together. For what? Prophet Ezekiel 18: 23 we read that “Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord GOD, “rather than that he should turn from his ways and live? God says that the bad people by seeing the deeds of good people may be converted and come closer to God. God does not like death of any inner which means everyone must be children of God. So dear friends let us decide today? Do you like be the seeds in the hands of God or weeds in the hands of Satan?.
Dear friends
Why did God select me and my Family?
Why did God select me as priest and sister?
Do I accept God’s preparation in my life?
How come the works of Satan entered into my life?
Am I protected by God or Satan?
Am I producing seeds or weeds?
Do you like be the seeds in the hands of God or
Weeds in the hands of Satan?
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