Greetings on this the Tuesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Readings: Jeremiah 14:17-22; Psalm 79:8, 9, 11 and 13; Matthew 13:36-43
Summary
The Great Drought.
The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought: Judah mourns. Let my eyes stream with tears day and night, without rest. Is it not you, LORD, our God, to whom we look? You alone do all these things. (Jer 14:1-2a, 17, 22).
Although this OT scripture passage is slightly larger than today’s reading it frames the Old Testament reading with the gospel portion.
The Explanation of the Parable of the Weeds.
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. 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. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears ought to hear (MT 13:37-38a, 40b-41, 43).
The Earth is the Lord’s and all it contains (PS 24:1).
How broad the meaning of that Scripture truly is!
Calamity will come, to be sure:
- Natural phenomena such as storms.
- Man-made miseries such as war.
- Personal mistakes and errors, both sinful and coincidental.
But in all of this the Lord is patiently present and helping every day, all day, 24/7/365. Sometimes we can see his answer and sometimes he just helps us one step at a time.
Matthew answers Jeremiah’s anguish indirectly: The wounded field is not a forgotten field.
Jeremiah asks, in effect:
- Has God rejected us completely?
- Is there no healing?
- Can the heavens give rain?
Jesus’ explanation answers:
- The field still belongs to the Son of Man.
- The good seed remains his.
- Evil has not become indistinguishable from good.
- Judgment is delayed, not denied.
- The harvest still belongs to God.
Reflection
Premature Judgment
In the first reading the people may be falling into the ‘all is lost’ mindset. God has abandoned us, there is no hope. In the gospel portion, in the parable itself, and later, the disciples are falling into the ‘we can fix this on our own’ mindset. Man rushing the conclusion by pulling the weeds.
The drought brings the question as to whether the field has been abandoned.
The parable answers: No—the field still belongs to the Son of Man.
Personal Reflection
We often interpret suffering as proof that God has withdrawn, or we attempt to remove evil with such force that we damage the good. Jeremiah teaches us to confess and plead. Jesus teaches us to wait without surrendering moral clarity. The psalmist combines the supplications help in misfortune and help in our sinfulness.
For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us (PS 79:9 compressed)
Help us, O God our savior,
because of the glory of your name;
Deliver us and pardon our sins
for your name's sake (PS 79:9).
Waiting is not abandonment. As Habakkuk reminds us:
If it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late (Hab 2:3b).
Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/072826.cfm
Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry