THE WHEAT AND

WEEDS PARABLE

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 16^th Saturday in Ordinary Time is, “The Wheat and Weeds Parable.”

Today’s gospel - Matthew 13: 24-30 -  has an intriguing parable from Jesus.

It’s a very difficult parable to put into practice. Jesus calls parables seeds. They slip into our ground and grow and then new life appears or pops up to challenge us in different places and in various ways.

FIRST STEP: GRASP THE PARABLE

Jesus tells about a farmer whose workers planted wheat seeds - but someone - an enemy - planted weeds.

Different commentators on the parable say it might be something that really happened  - and Jesus heard about it - and used it as the basis for his parable.

When the crop of wheat and weeds started showing up,  the farm hands came to the owner and said what was happening. They asked if they should pull up all the weeds - like right now  - like immediately.

The owner of the land says, “No. Do that you might pull up some of the wheat along with the weeds. At harvest time then we can do the separation.”

That’s the parable. Then Jesus asks us: “What’s your take on it?”

SECOND STEP: APPLY THE PARABLE:  THE  MIND AS A FIELD

Picture the human mind or brain as a field. In it are planted lots of stuff. Sometimes it’s done by an enemy. Sometimes it’s done by ourselves.  If we have the TV remote or the computer - we can put all kinds of stuff into our mind. We can also turn off the TV or the Computer or what have you.

Some stuff - some seed - once it’s inside our brain - it’s there and we can’t get it out.

I was in Chartres Cathedral in France in 1996 with my two sisters and my brother-in-law. The tour guide said in English: “Don’t look over to our right - watch your wallets and pocket books - because there are two pickpockets there.”  Well of course, everyone turned and looked and I saw the two pickpockets quickly duck behind a big pole. Guess what? The two pickpockets are still in my brain. I see them in many churches. And they came to mind: as I was putting together this homily.

THIRD STEP: APPLICATION # 2: LET THEM BOTH STAY

The second application is the great challenge from Jesus.

Some people go crazy with weeds in their garden.  It’s like the old story of the person who wrote six times to the Dear Mr. Gardener  in the local newspaper. Six different times the person wrote for advice. Obviously, the first five suggestions didn’t work, so the sixth suggestion from Dear Mr. Gardener was, “Learn to live with them.”

Some people learn to live with dirt on other people’s glasses and some don’t.

Some people have problems with bugs on other people’s windshields.

Some people go crazy with strings of spaghetti on their dad’s shirt as he eats at the nursing home and some don’t. 

Some people can’t stand such and such a priest’s long sermons and some read the bulletin.

Some people don’t like the way  so and so dresses for Mass - some people are thinking about last nights ball game.

Some people think so and so is wrong in how they pronounce Boston or Baltimore and some don’t mind it when people say “good” when  it should be “well”.

Some people complain about who comes to church and who doesn’t - who goes to communion and who doesn’t.

Some of us have lists about ourselves;  some have lists about others.

CONCLUSION

Sometimes we don’t get the remote and we can’t change the channel.

Sometimes we can sit behind poles in church or go to different Masses or check the web site to see who has what Mass or walk down different streets or don’t look - but sometimes those weedy thoughts and comments and scenes appear on our screens and we have to learn to live with them.

Bummer.

In the meanwhile we can enjoy the wheat called Bread - called communion - with Jesus - even though we’re thinking about the weather for this Saturday as we’re walking back to our bench from receiving Communion. Enjoy life. Enjoy the Lord. Don’t step on the weeds.

DAUGHTER

Quote for Today - July 27, 2013

"My son is my son, 
till he marries a wife,
But my daughter's my daughter 
all the days of her life."

Saying

LIFE  DREAMS

Quote for Today - July 26, 2013

"In dreams begins responsibilities."

Willian Butler Yeats [ 1865-1939], Responsibilities [1914], epigram (from an old play)

CIRCLES

Quote for Today - July 25, 2013

"He drew a circle that shut me out -
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But Love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle that took him in."


Edwin Markham [1852-1940], Outwitted.

LAYERS

There are layers and then

there are layers under that -

and then there are  layers

under that - so yes, I’ll listen -

honestly - I am listening to you,

but expect me to expect more,

and then some more after that,

and then some more after that,

because you and I and this

and that  are more than just

this or just that and that and

this and that and this and that.

So let’s keep going - keep

figuring out - who and what’s 

under that and then some more

under that and that and that.

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2013

SING YOUR SONG 
EVEN WHEN THEY 
TELL YOU, YOU CAN'T 

Quote for Today - July 24, 2013

"Those who wish to sing always find a song."

Swedish  Proverb

VIOLENCE  AND GOD 

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 16^th Tuesday in Ordinary Time is, “Violence and God.”

The topic was triggered from today’s first reading  from Exodus 14: 21 to 15:1. It not only tells of God as Savior - but also God as Warrior - killing the Egyptians - drowning them in the bathtub of the Red Sea.

Is God, Our Father,  also a God of violence? 

So when it comes to God, we all have to do our thinking and praying about violence and God - how we see and understand God.

I say that because I often hear people say when something goes wrong: "Is God punishing me?"

These are some first draft thoughts. I’ve never been able to reconcile Biblical  texts where God is described as both saving as well as killing people. I understand a bit - the violence of hurricanes, tornadoes and tsunamis - that people get killed by weather going wild. I see that as being part of the package called earth. I have problems saying God is part of humans killing humans  - and some of these stories in the scriptures where people are killed and saying God is doing this to kill our enemies - that I have not figured out.

Come Holy Spirit.

THE KORAN

Once upon a time, a Rabbi asked if I had read The Koran. It was at a wedding reception in Washington D.C.  I said, “No. I hadn’t.” And he said, “You better.” So I went to Barnes and Noble and checked out different translations - and purchased a copy.

When I held The Koran in my hands,  it did not have for me the feeling of the sacred - as I feel towards our Bible. Yet it did feel different than other books. And I know for some Muslims - holding The Koran in one's hands is sacred and for someone to disrespect or even burn a Koran, that is an act of violence.

An analogy that hit me was this. I hope it’s not too far fetched.  It would be like the difference between the following 3 pieces of cloth.  Imagine the feel of a United States flag for a U.S citizen compared to the feel that same person would have for a flag of Estonia or Ecuador - unless that is their roots - and then the feel of a table cloth. All 3 are different - all 3 are cloth - all 3 elicit different feelings.

As I read The Koran I saw red. Fire. So I got a magic marker and every time I saw the word, “fire” or “burn” I highlighted that word in “orange”. Those words appear  quite a bit. Now I can pick up The Koran and page through it and see “fire” - “orange fire” - on many, many pages.  

I also wondered how much of that was part of the World Trade Center and Pentagon crashes - to burn down buildings and bring disaster. Was it from a religious motive? I think I hear Suicide Bombers saying that.

Surprise, after noticing the words "fire" and "burn" over and over again,  I began to notice mention of wars and violence and God striking people dead in our scriptures. It taught me that I could get a magic marker and do the same with our Jewish and Christian scriptures.

So the first comment I’d make is that our scriptures contain violence and God doing violent acts. Question: is it God or is it only us or what?

So when it comes to religions, I see blood and fire - as well as the good stuff.

SECOND COMMENT - EVOLUTION

In time there is an evolution of understandings about God as Warrior and God the Violent - to seeing God as a Peacemaker and God as Non-Violent.

In time some people discover that there are different evolving thoughts about what God is like. This can happen to religions as well as to individuals. We evolve!  Question: do I understand God today differently than I did many years ago? 

THIRD COMMENT - BOTH

At times we discover different voices and understandings of God from the same period and the same people. It happens with our understanding of Jesus as well. Jesus voices violence and gnashing of teeth - and at other times Jesus says, “Put down the rocks and put down the swords.”

FOURTH  COMMENT - VIOLENCE IN THE NAME OF GOD

If we study the history of the world, we’ll find plenty of violence done in the name of God. Moses will send men with swords into the camps and kill thousands.  In Jesus’ time people were crucified all the time. Down through A.D. times many are killed in the name of religion - not just Christians, but also Muslims - and who have you and vice versa.  Read history and you’ll read about religious wars - crusades and massacres.

FIFTH COMMENT - IF YOU TAKE A STAND FOR NON-VIOLENCE EXPECT VIOLENCE AT TIMES

If you take a stand for non-violence, expect a tough time of it.

It’s difficult to turn the other cheek, to go the extra mile, to say from any cross to those who are violent in any way, “Father forgive them they don’t know what they are doing.”

SIXTH AND LAST COMMENT

As I began this homily, I said that these are first draft thoughts. They are. The bottom line is mystery and the bottom line is the ability to say, “I do not know.”