This week's readings Week of July 21 - 27 Sunday, July 21, 2002 Reading I: Wis 12:13, 16-19 Reading II: Rom 8:26-27 Gospel: Mt 13:24-43 Monday, July 22, 2002 Reading I: Mic 6:1-4, 6-8 Gospel: Jn 20:1-2, 11-18 Tuesday, July 23, 2002 Reading I: Mic 7:14-15, 18-20 Gospel: Mt 12:46-50 Wednesday, July 24, 2002 Reading I: Jer 1:1, 4-10 Gospel: Mt 13:1-9 Thursday, July 25, 2002 Reading I: 2 Cor 4:7-15 Gospel: Mt 20:20-28 Friday, July 26, 2002 Reading I: Jer 3:14-17 Gospel: Mt 13:18-23 Saturday, July 27, 2002 Reading I: Jer 7:1-11 Gospel: Mt 13:24-30 Pope's Prayer Intentions July General Intention That artists in all media may help us enter the mystery of God: That artists may do all they can to help people rediscover the signs of God's providential love in creation. July Mission Intention That India's Christians may publicly live out their faith: That India's Christians may not be prevented from publicly professing their faith and freely announcing the Gospel.

A weedy world:
Until He comes again

		Word of God  Word of Life  Fr. John G. Stillmank

We live in a weedy world.

Jesus' many parables include these earthy examples like wheat and weeds, mustard seeds, yeast in the dough. He's not just playing games, either. There is much truth in examples drawn from the created world beneath our feet and in our hands.

"He gives us 'good ground for hope' and an opportunity to repent of our sins. Then we can be among those who will shine with the fire of God's love in his kingdom of life, light, and peace."

Have Jesus' parables lost some of their punch, though? When I was a kid we weeded the garden. Now rototillers and pesticides seem to have displaced hand-weeding. The last place I saw a mustard seed was crushed up in a jar of mustard or floating in a jar of sweet pickles. And bread dough? Doesn't that come in tubes from the grocery store now?

In spite of the many conveniences we have which remove us from a more direct experience of a simpler world in a simpler time, we understand the principles, I think. Weeds destroy. Seeds grow. Yeast makes the bread rise. Jesus' examples still have their power to teach.

And so: we live in a weedy world. The wheat - the "children of the kingdom" who desire to do God's will, "the righteous (who) will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father" - live right alongside the weeds - the "children of the evil one" as Jesus calls them, "all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. They will (be thrown) into the fiery furnace." Pull up the weeds prematurely and you risk destroying the crop. And so we wait. We live in a world of weeds mixed with the wheat, until the Lord of the harvest returns.

That certainly makes life difficult for true disciples of Jesus. We aren't just to stand by while evil has a free hand in the world. So we promote the dignity of the human person. We promote justice and peace.

We work to convince developed nations to share technology with developing nations, to help them help themselves. We love as Jesus taught us.

Readings for 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (July 21) Wisdom 12:13, 16-19 Psalm 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16 Romans 8:26-27 Matthew 13:24-43

Yet we also see how human life is not respected, at home and away. We see how injustice, violence, and poverty reign supreme in many places. Greed fills many hearts. Indifference, not love, is many people's creed.

How discouraging. It seems the weeds are winning some days, growing thick and abundant, spreading their seeds to the winds, pushing the wheat out, even threatening to stunt its growth. How awful, how sad.

Jesus does not leave us without hope. He will win. The weeds will be destroyed and there will be a rich harvest of the righteous for God.

"Whoever has ears ought to hear" is not Jesus warning, but giving hope. "Listen to me," he says. I have the words of eternal life and hope, of faith and love.

He gives us "good ground for hope" and an opportunity to repent of our sins - so says the Book of Wisdom. Then we can be among those who will shine with the fire of God's love in his kingdom of life, light, and peace.

Fr. John G. Stillmank is Moderator of the Curia for the Diocese of Madison and pastor of St. Andrew Parish, Verona, and St. William Parish, Paoli.