Walking with Jesus: 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Wisdom 12:13, 16-19; Romans 8:26-27; Matthew 12:24-43
We come each week to listen to Jesus teach, guide and love us … telling us about our everlasting home in heaven. Am I listening? Am I hearing what Jesus is saying, or what I would like Him to say? Does my view of heaven agree with His teaching? Do I feel that I am guaranteed heaven because I go to church and kinda follow the commandments? Is my religion focused on Church attendance? Has the COVID-19 pandemic made me reconsider what my “churchgoing” is all about? Jesus addresses the final judgment of all peoples in Matthew 25:31-46, saying quite bluntly that the righteous (the good, virtuous) will be astonished that in caring for the needs of sufferers, they were ministering to the Lord Himself and will be rewarded with heaven. The accursed (the condemned, damned) will likewise be astonished that their neglect of the sufferers was neglect of the Lord, and will receive damnation from Him. Do I daily review my care of the hurting, especially going out of my way to care for the “least of My brothers and sisters?” [Matthew 25:40]
Jesus knew exactly why He came: to show us God’s total love, care and forgiveness, and to save everyone from their sins. He did this by establishing a kingdom of love that has been God’s plan from the beginning. This kingdom will grow to fulfillment and continue in the Kingdom of Heaven. Enemies consistently will try to disrupt and stop it. Satan never wants love to succeed and never wants God to be believed or followed. His temptation is so deceiving: Sure, listen to God -- but loving really means you; it all depends on what you want and need to be happy because your happiness is the most important part of living. But real happiness is in loving outside of yourself. Jesus set up the Church as the source of His help and grace, to live and perpetuate love in all aspects of living. Not only is it still intact after 20-plus centuries; it continues to lead humanity in interpreting the art of loving handed down through the prophets, mystics, saints, holy women and men who are the prime examples of Christ’s love. This is God’s plan, because its King is the everlasting and loving Lord. Have I latched on to God’s plan? Am I living the way of the Lord? The readings today help us stay on track.
The author of the Book of Wisdom was very familiar with what was happening in the first century before Jesus’ arrival. His emphasis is on the Exodus story and how wise the Israelites are to turn to God for help. They learn these lessons in their firsthand experience of struggling to understand what loving is about: realizing they are being formed into a people of God. Their God is always ready to save them when they put aside their pride and realize their need for His help. This is evident in their discovery that the God of Israel is different from the so-called deities worshiped by other nations. Israel’s God is displayed through acts of kindness, mercy and patience. The people take a long time to understand God’s purpose in their lives. They fail time and time again due to their lack of faith and trust. God responds to their spiritual weakness by calming their fears with signs of divine generosity and kindness. It’s a wonderful meditation to reflect on how patient God has been with me ... how His gentle assurance reminds me of His presence, and His grace helps me to recognize His love.
Using the imagery of weeds and wheat growing together until harvest time, Jesus affirms that the world is made up sinners and saints. In the end, God will determine who belongs in each category. We must be patient and forgiving of ourselves in accepting God’s grace and mercy. The challenge is to live our lives for the better: I am loved by God, that’s why I was created, and I’m needed to love so that others can realize they are loved by God. Matthew is warning his community about the need to be prepared for the final judgment when the Son of Man will come and then Satan will be conquered.
Am I on the right track? Am I living in my dream house … working my dream job … enjoying my dream life? Jesus refers to God’s kingdom more than 50 times in Matthew’s gospel and six times today. In those references, He doesn’t talk about our “dream places.” He talks about routine things: a man doing his job, an insignificant seed, a woman baking bread. God is present with us each day, and that’s where sacred things are happening. This is where God’s kingdom of love is living, happening, achieving God’s plan through you and me.
So I reflect on:
“The farmer discovers the malicious act but avoids a hasty response. He is prepared to wait until the proper time, knowing that, while the seedlings are indistinguishable, the plants will be evidently different from one another. As I lay my life before God, I remind myself that the task of judgment is not mine, nor is it for now.
“Good and evil coexist in human life and in the world. Nothing and no one is perfect. We are all in need of forgiveness and redemption. Lord Jesus, You know my strengths and my weaknesses. Help me to produce a rich harvest of good works to the greater glory of the Father.”
We come each week to listen to Jesus teach, guide and love us … telling us about our everlasting home in heaven. Am I listening? Am I hearing what Jesus is saying, or what I would like Him to say? Does my view of heaven agree with His teaching? Do I feel that I am guaranteed heaven because I go to church and kinda follow the commandments? Is my religion focused on Church attendance? Has the COVID-19 pandemic made me reconsider what my “churchgoing” is all about? Jesus addresses the final judgment of all peoples in Matthew 25:31-46, saying quite bluntly that the righteous (the good, virtuous) will be astonished that in caring for the needs of sufferers, they were ministering to the Lord Himself and will be rewarded with heaven. The accursed (the condemned, damned) will likewise be astonished that their neglect of the sufferers was neglect of the Lord, and will receive damnation from Him. Do I daily review my care of the hurting, especially going out of my way to care for the “least of My brothers and sisters?” [Matthew 25:40]
Jesus knew exactly why He came: to show us God’s total love, care and forgiveness, and to save everyone from their sins. He did this by establishing a kingdom of love that has been God’s plan from the beginning. This kingdom will grow to fulfillment and continue in the Kingdom of Heaven. Enemies consistently will try to disrupt and stop it. Satan never wants love to succeed and never wants God to be believed or followed. His temptation is so deceiving: Sure, listen to God -- but loving really means you; it all depends on what you want and need to be happy because your happiness is the most important part of living. But real happiness is in loving outside of yourself. Jesus set up the Church as the source of His help and grace, to live and perpetuate love in all aspects of living. Not only is it still intact after 20-plus centuries; it continues to lead humanity in interpreting the art of loving handed down through the prophets, mystics, saints, holy women and men who are the prime examples of Christ’s love. This is God’s plan, because its King is the everlasting and loving Lord. Have I latched on to God’s plan? Am I living the way of the Lord? The readings today help us stay on track.
The author of the Book of Wisdom was very familiar with what was happening in the first century before Jesus’ arrival. His emphasis is on the Exodus story and how wise the Israelites are to turn to God for help. They learn these lessons in their firsthand experience of struggling to understand what loving is about: realizing they are being formed into a people of God. Their God is always ready to save them when they put aside their pride and realize their need for His help. This is evident in their discovery that the God of Israel is different from the so-called deities worshiped by other nations. Israel’s God is displayed through acts of kindness, mercy and patience. The people take a long time to understand God’s purpose in their lives. They fail time and time again due to their lack of faith and trust. God responds to their spiritual weakness by calming their fears with signs of divine generosity and kindness. It’s a wonderful meditation to reflect on how patient God has been with me ... how His gentle assurance reminds me of His presence, and His grace helps me to recognize His love.
Using the imagery of weeds and wheat growing together until harvest time, Jesus affirms that the world is made up sinners and saints. In the end, God will determine who belongs in each category. We must be patient and forgiving of ourselves in accepting God’s grace and mercy. The challenge is to live our lives for the better: I am loved by God, that’s why I was created, and I’m needed to love so that others can realize they are loved by God. Matthew is warning his community about the need to be prepared for the final judgment when the Son of Man will come and then Satan will be conquered.
Am I on the right track? Am I living in my dream house … working my dream job … enjoying my dream life? Jesus refers to God’s kingdom more than 50 times in Matthew’s gospel and six times today. In those references, He doesn’t talk about our “dream places.” He talks about routine things: a man doing his job, an insignificant seed, a woman baking bread. God is present with us each day, and that’s where sacred things are happening. This is where God’s kingdom of love is living, happening, achieving God’s plan through you and me.
So I reflect on:
- Am I extending God’s gifts given me to others to “my followers?”
- Do I offer mercy instead of retaliation? Kindness instead of hardheartedness? Justice instead of unfairness? Hope instead of gloom?
- “Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words.” This is attributed to St. Francis of Assisi. More importantly, am I living love today, noticing those in need? God is. He placed the needy there for me to see. He also gives me the help, the grace to see them. The rest is up to me.
“The farmer discovers the malicious act but avoids a hasty response. He is prepared to wait until the proper time, knowing that, while the seedlings are indistinguishable, the plants will be evidently different from one another. As I lay my life before God, I remind myself that the task of judgment is not mine, nor is it for now.
“Good and evil coexist in human life and in the world. Nothing and no one is perfect. We are all in need of forgiveness and redemption. Lord Jesus, You know my strengths and my weaknesses. Help me to produce a rich harvest of good works to the greater glory of the Father.”
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