Today’s Reflection
Gospel: Mt 13: 24-43
July 23, 2023 | Sunday

Today’s Gospel

Jesus told the people another parable, “The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a man, who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep, his enemy came, and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the plants sprouted and produced grain, the weeds also appeared.

Then, the servants of the owner came, and said to him, ‘Sir, was it not good seed that you sowed in your field? Where did the weeds come from?’ He answered them, ‘This is the work of an enemy.’ They asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull up the weeds?’ He told them, ‘No, when you pull up the weeds, you might uproot the wheat with them. Let them grow together, until harvest; and, at harvest time, I will say to the workers: Pull up the weeds first, tie them in bundles and burn them; then gather the wheat into my barn.’”

Jesus offered them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is smaller  than all other seeds, but once it is fully grown, it is bigger than any garden plant; like a tree, the birds come and rest in its branches.” He told them another parable, “The kingdom of heaven is like the yeast that a woman took, and hid in three measures of  flour, until the whole mass  of dough began to rise.”

Jesus taught all these things to the crowds by means of parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. This fulfilled what was spoken by the Prophet: I will speak in parables. I will proclaim things kept secret since the beginning of the world. Then he sent the crowds away and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

Jesus answered them, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world; the good seed are the people of the kingdom; the weeds are those who follow the evil one. The enemy who sows the weeds is the devil; the harvest is the end of time, and the workers are the angels.

Just as the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so will it be at the end of time. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom all that is scandalous and all who do evil. And these will be thrown into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the just will shine, like the sun, in the kingdom of their Father. If you have ears, then hear.

Today’s Reflection:

The mustard seed is the smallest of seeds but, when sown, it ngrows bigger than any garden plant. Within a year, it grows into a shrub so large that in some cases it could almost be considered a tree. This parable speaks of small beginnings resulting in great results or humble beginnings and extra ordinary outcomes. This is the central theme of the parable of the yeast. It has been calculated that the three measures, when leavened and baked would feed a hundred people. These parables explain the present situation. The kingdom may have tiny and many unimpressive beginnings, but this does  not mean that before long it will not sprout up into something very much greater. How would you describe your beginnings? How about the outcomes?    /Vulnerasti, 2023