Shikrot Mpwi - Sunday Synopsis
with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk
16th Sunday of the Year –
July 19, 2020
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 God of Second Chance!
Sunday
Synopsis
Today’s first reading assures that God is lenient with
sinners. The second reading insists that God comes to help us in our weakness.
In the gospel, after presenting the parables of the Darnel in the Field,
Mustard Seed and Yeast, Jesus presents a seven-point explanation of the Parable
of the Wheat and Weeds namely that: The sower of the good seed is the Son of
Man; the field is the world; the wheat are the subjects of the Kingdom; the
darnel stands for subjects of the evil one; the sower of the weeds is the evil
one; the harvest is at the end of time and the reapers are the angles. We are
reminded that just as God is patient with the sinner, we are challenged not to
take his patience for granted but reform while bearing with the qualms of
others.
Introduction
Beloved in Christ, the
Christian religion is replete with the scandal of God’s patience with sinners.
While some Christians are unsympathetic to
sinners, others are. Our reflection entitled “The God of Second Chance” shall
scan through the readings with particular reference to the gospel where Jesus
presents the parables of the Darnel in the Field, Mustard Seed and Yeast. While some scripture scholars are of
the opinion that the setting of the parable is the world, others hold that it
is the Church. However, our reflection may overlap while seeking for a middle
ground. To achieve this, we shall review the readings in the light of pastoral
lessons.
Background and Summary of the Readings
The first reading (Wisdom 12:-13,16-19) 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.
The gospel (Matthew 13:24-43) presents us with three different but related
parables. The first being the parable of the Wheat and Weeds otherwise known as the parable of the Darnel in the Field, the parable of the
Mustard Seed and the parable of the Yeast. Jesus gives a seven-point explanation
of the Parable of the Wheat and Weeds
in the light of God’s patience with sinners.
Darnel in the Field: Jesus’ Explanation
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 seed are 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.
Pastoral Lessons
1. Beware of Divine Retribution: By sparing only Noah and his family from the great
flood (Gen. 6:9-8:22), dispersion of the builders of the Tower of Babel (Gen.
11:1-9) and destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 18:20-21), our liturgy
draws our attention to divine retribution
or retributive which is the
supernatural punishment of a person(s) by God as a consequence of their sins.
2. Divine Retribution Could Delay: Today’s liturgy teaches us that divine retribution could be delayed or rather treasured up until
harvest time (the end of the world) as the gospel indicates (Matthew 13:24-43).
3. God Gives Us a Second Chance: We are reminded about the nature of God namely that 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 but that he is a God of the second chance.
