Walking with Jesus: 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time A

For Sunday, July 19, 2026

Wisdom 12:13, 16-19; Romans 8:26-27; Matthew 13:24-43


A common expression — so much a part of our interactions with people in our lives, maybe more especially among those who want to “get it right” — is: What is the bottom line? Growing up, I never used this expression when either of my parents told me to do something. I was told, I performed the assigned task, and I waited with bated breath — hopefully to be complimented or thanked.

The bottom line for all people — Christians and non-Christians, those who belong to a specific religious belief, and those who have no belief in God or the afterlife — is: What happens at the end of my life? Is heaven open only to Christians? No, it’s open to all. Do the same rules for entry apply to all? Yes. Jesus prescribes following the Ten Commandments and the threefold commands of Love — the Great Commandment found in two of the gospels:

• In Mark 12:28-31, Jesus responds to a scribe’s question: “Which is the first of all the commandments?” Jesus replies, “The first is this: ‘Hear, O The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
• In Matthew 22:36-40, “... a scholar of the law tested Jesus by asking, ‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’ Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.’”

Some will say, “Well, what if I don’t believe in God?” The bottom line is that God exists. “But I’m not a Christian.” The bottom line is that God created everyone. And in today's readings He tells us:

God is the ultimate judge of every human heart. God’s persistent desire is that all repent and turn to Him (Wisdom). God is both patient and merciful with all of us … for He does not seek to condemn anyone but instead gives us time to repent (Romans and Matthew). God gives us the necessary time to show with our lives that our hope is ultimately in Him: the Holy Spirit. Our lives are a time of grace in which to live, love and hope in God, who is patient and kind in His judgments ... with Heaven our promised goal … forever with God, who is love.

The Wisdom literary tradition was the shared heritage of much of the ancient Near East and Eastern Mediterranean. The Book of Wisdom was a major contribution scrutinizing the Greek culture, and a way of thinking and writing to express enduring Jewish ideas and ideals. Today it describes the divine attributes of Israel’s God: unique ruler, caring for all, universal, just, merciful, powerful, lenient, kind. Most especially, God teaches that those who are just must be kind. So how many of these qualities are part of our daily lives? With His grace, God is helping us to live these daily.

Paul describes our daily lives as being broken and weak with all our human limitations … but the Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness and, understanding our hearts, is able to intercede constantly on our behalf. The main point is that God is with us, within us, and for us. Why should I be afraid? God is love!

Matthew uses the terms reign of God and kingdom of heaven — which is open to all. So we “feel” that it’s not people’s fault for not knowing or believing. The Spirit of God dwells in all disciples, not merely a few of them. Those who fail to be receptive have failed to open themselves to the Spirit. The Spirit is with us in our weaknesses, in our inability to pray, and in our difficulties understanding the parables of Jesus. We mistakenly believe there is no room for sinners in God’s kingdom — for murderers, sexual offenders, public officials who have violated the people’s trust, religious leaders who have committed some shameful sin. Some feel that the Kingdom of God is only for the righteous or those whose sins are “minor.” We want to think like this, but Jesus has a different point of view: It is God who decides. God is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in kindness and fidelity — and repentance is a very real possibility, which gives hope to all. God knows all.

So I reflect on:

• God teaches us patiently. Am I willing to listen and learn?
• In moments of trial, hope is hard — but endurance is built through hope. Do I hope?

Sacred Space 2026 states:

“One seldom finds oneself playing on a perfect pitch, but we may gain insights and learn something of your methods, Lord, if we keep our eyes firmly on the Master homesteader and how He instructed His servants to go about their crop planting. His advice to them was to keep their eye on the task at hand. Don’t get distracted or disenchanted.”