July 20, Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lord, you are good and forgiving.--Psalm 86:5

Mass readings: Wisdom 12:13,16-19 / Romans 8:26-27 /Matthew 13:24-43 or 13:24-30

Gardening with Grandpa

Today's Gospel, the parable of the farmer's field, reminds me of the first time my cousin helped my grandfather tend his garden. She pulled up an entire row of onions, thinking they were weeds! Grandpa never made that kind of mistake. He could tell weeds by their lack of fruit, and unlike the patient farmer in the parable, pulled those pesky plants right away.

What does a farmer's field have to do with us? Well, according to Jesus' explanation, the wheat (God's children) and the weeds (the children of the evil one) will be separated at the end of the age, and the weeds won't meet a happy fate. Our God is wise, and exceedingly patient with us. But if He justly judged our hearts right now, which plant would He find us to be?

Prayer: Dear God, help me become worthy to be called Your child.