PRI Reflections on Scripture • 7-30-24 - Tuesday of the 17th Week of Ordinary Time

Finding God In Our Hearts with Msgr. Don Fischer

Gospel

Matthew 13:36-43

Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house.

His disciples approached him and said,

"Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field."

He said in reply, "He who sows good seed is the Son of Man,

the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom.

The weeds are the children of the Evil One,

and the enemy who sows them is the Devil.

The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.

Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire,

so will it be at the end of the age.

The Son of Man will send his angels,

and they will collect out of his Kingdom

all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.

They will throw them into the fiery furnace,

where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.

Then the righteous will shine like the sun

in the Kingdom of their Father.

Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

Reflection

The story of Adam and Eve can lead one to misunderstand something very essential. God has not created people in a way that they are evil. God's creation is goodness. Wholeness. Fullness. Light. Life. And what he wants his disciples to understand with this parable he said, I want you to know that evil exists in the world. It does not come from you, but it is there, planted there by some evil force.

And the work that we have is to first and foremost understand its goal. The goal of evil is to separate us from God, himself and from others. When we feel that, when we see that, that's when we call upon the grace of God to say, please help me understand that I am made to be one with you, with myself and my brothers and sisters.

Closing Prayer

Father, shame is a big part of our lives, and when we do participate in something that is wrong, that goes against our nature, we tend to begin to feel that we are somehow evil or broken or unacceptable. Help us to get past that shame and enter into the kingdom where we can see and feel the beauty and the dignity of every human being. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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