The 6th Sunday after Trinity

Matthew 13:24-30

Jesus put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away.
So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well.
And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’
He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’
But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them.
Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'”

A prayer

Creator God,

you made us all in your image:

may we discern you in all that we see.

and serve you in all that we do;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Some thoughts

The theme of the sower of the seed continues 

Here we see illustrated, the problem that the early church had with those who fail to respond to the message of Jesus, or who backpedal from being part of the faith community.

However, I would put some qualification on the way that we view this. 

Are some people born to fail, born wrong, innately bad? 

Or does God love all that he has created?

Are we not all sinners? Are any of us perfect? 

The whole point of the Gospel is that all can repent, all can be forgiven. Surely, no one is excluded from that hope and possibility.

It is not for us to judge other people, God’s love and mercy is offered to you and to me, along with everyone else.