Shikrot Mpwi - Sunday Synopsis with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk 

16^th Sunday of the Year – July 23, 2017

 Readings: Wisdom 12:-13,16-19; Responsorial 

Psalm Ps 85:5-6,9-10,15-16; Rom 8:26-27 & Gospel Matthew 13:24-43.

Theme: The Scandal of God’s Patience!

Introduction

Friends in Christ, the Christian religion is replete with the scandal of God’s patience with. While some Christians are unsympathetic to sinners, others are. We shall reflect on our readings in the light of the parable of the Wheat and Weeds otherwise known as the parable of the Darnel in the Field. While some scripture scholars hold that the setting of the parable is the world, others believe that it is the Church. However, our reflection may overlap while seeking for a middle ground. To achieve that, it is important for us to understand what Jesus meant by the parable. We shall now closely review Jesus’ interpretation of the parable of the Wheat and Weeds.

Jesus’ Explanation of the Parable the Darnel in the Field

Jesus gave a seven-point explanation of the Parable of the Wheat and Weeds in the light of God’s patience with sinners:

1. The Sower of the Seed: The sower of the good seed is the Son of Man.

2. The Field: The field is the world.

3. The Good Seed/Wheat: The subjects of the Kingdom.

4. The Darnel/Weeds: The darnel stands for subjects of the evil one.

5. The Sower of the Weeds: The sower of the weeds is the evil one.

6. The Harvest: The harvest is at the end of time.

7. The Reapers: The reapers are the angles. 

Theological Explication & Pastoral Implications of the Parable

On many occasions, Christians have been divided concerning God’s benevolence towards sinners. On the one hand, the unsympathetic school of thought comprises of Christians who feel that sinners should not be given a second chance or forgiven. In fact, they are often impatient with people they consider as sinners and are angry with God for not punishing them with fire and brimstone. They behave like the Prophet Jonah who was angry with God for not punishing the people of Nineveh and fled to erase the possibility of the people repenting as a result of his preaching to them (Jonah 4:1-2). On the other hand, the sympathetic school of thought is made of up Christians who are often lenient towards sinners and plead for divine mercy upon them.

Dearly beloved, our liturgy calls our attention to divine retribution. As it were, divine retribution is the supernatural punishment of a person or persons by God as a consequence of their sins. Few examples of retributive justice include:

1. The great flood that destroyed humanity and spared the family of Noah (Gen. 6:9-8:22).

2.  The dispersion of the builders of the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11:1-9).

3. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 18:20-21).  

Too often, Christians who belong to the unsympathetic school of thought cite the aforementioned passages as basis for their impatience with God concerning the destruction of sinners. They cannot understand for instance why God would forgive homosexuals and lesbians, armed robbers and commercial kidnappers, corrupt politicians and ritualists to mention just a few.

Conversely, today’s liturgy teaches us that divine retribution is delayed or rather treasured up until harvest time (the end of the world) as the gospel indicates (Matthew 13:24-43). This reveals something of the nature of God – namely, that our God is a God of the second chance. He is not a God of Now, Now who punishes the offender instantly as in the days of old as some religions of the world teach. Few examples would suffice:

1. When Prophet Elijah confronted King Ahab with the murder of Naboth, the King tore his garments, put on sackcloth, fasted  and slept in ashes and God suspended the disaster he had threatened upon him (1 Kgs. 21:1-21,27-29).

2. When Prophet Nathan confronted King David for murdering Uriah and coveting Bathsheba his wife,  David said: “I have sinned against God” and the prophet assured him: “The Lord has taken away your sin; you will not die” (2 Sam. 12:1-13).

3. When the Prophet Jonah preached to the people of Nineveh, they proclaimed a fast, wore sackclothes and rolled in ashes and the Lord forgave their sins (Jonah 3 & 4).

 

Homiletic Quotes to Remember:

1. Our God is a God of the second chance.

2. God disposes his strength through mild judgment while governing with leniency.

3. He forgives the sinner but does not condone sin.

4. Those who are strong must be sympathetic to the weak.

5. We may be unfaithful but God is always faithful (2 Tim. 2:13).

6. The Church is not a museum for saints but a hospital for sinners - Morton Kelsey.

7. We must not take God’s patience for granted by either avoiding or abusing the sacrament of confession.

Conclusion

The Parable of the wheat and weeds as read in the gospel relates with the first reading (Wisdom 12:-13,16-19) because the latter assures that God is lenient with sinners. It relates that God disposes his strength through mild judgment while governing with leniency. Most importantly, the reading stresses that God displays his benevolence to sinners to teach us a lesson on “how the virtuous man must be kindly to his fellow men” and also give his children “good hope that after sin you will grant repentance.”

In like manner, the second reading (Rom 8:26-27) insists that God comes to help us in our weakness. We are, therefore, called to be sympathetic to sinners rather being judgmental. Those who are strong must bear with the qualms of the weak while praying for their repentance. As such, don’t be scandalized that you occupy the same pew with sinners - Judgment is of God. Wait for the harvest time but ensure that you are harvested as a good seed. Have a great week ahead!