Words of Spirit and Life

Theme: THE LORD WILL BURN AWAY OUR SINS WITH THE FIRE OF HIS LOVE

• Wisdom 12:13. 16-19 
• Psalm 85 (86): 5-6. 9-10. 15-16. R. v. 5
• Matthew 13:24-43 or 24-30

1. Today is the 16^th Sunday in Ordinary Time. The readings today tell us that God will burn away our sins with the fire of his love! The longer form of the gospel reading (Mt 13:24-43) includes the interpretation of “the parable of the darnel” by St. Matthew (Mt 13:36-43) for his Church, which emphasizes on “the fearful end of the wicked”, but the shorter form of the gospel (Mt 13:24-30) which is closer to the original words of Jesus himself, emphasizes on “patience/forbearance with the wicked”! (R. H. Fuller/CSB) The Church has given us the option to take the shorter form of the gospel in the context of the first reading and the responsorial psalm to preach the good news that God will burn away our sins with the fire of his love!

2. The gospel parable tells us that there were darnel/weeds (poisonous grass) growing together with the wheat, but more importantly, the gospel parable tells us that at harvest time God will bundle the weeds together and burn them, and gather the wheat into his barn!

    Today we also ask the perennial question, ‘why is there so much wickedness in the world? Why are there so many evil people the world? Why does not God destroy them all? Why is there so much evil even in the Church? Why does God not destroy them all? Again, why is there so much evil even in ourselves, even after 55 years of baptism and attending Mass every Sunday? Why at times this evil in us seems even to overpower the good in us, so much so that we fall into temptations and commit serious sins?

    The answer of Jesus in today’s gospel is, ‘be patient, God will burn up the evil in us, in the Church, and in the World with the fire of his Holy Spirit, the fire of his love!

3. The first reading from the book of Wisdom tells us that God is merciful: “but, disposing of such strength, you are mild in judgment, you govern us with great lenience, ….”! (Ws 12:18) The caption of the first reading tells us that ‘after sin you will grant repentance”!

    Repentance is not just turning away from sin and turning back towards the Law, but repentance means turning away from sin and turning towards God’s love, mercy and forgiveness! The Law cannot “burn” away our sins! The Law can only “burn” us in Hell! Only the love, mercy and forgiveness of God can “burn” away our sins, so much so that we will not sin anymore! If we turn away from sin and turn back to the Law, we will turn back to sin again and again, because the Law cannot “burn” away our sin!

4. That is why in the responsorial psalm today we pray for God’s love, mercy and forgiveness: “O Lord, you are good and forgiving, full of love to all who call. Give heed, O Lord, to my prayer and attend to the sound of my voice”. (Stanza 1) “But you, God of mercy and compassion, slow to anger, O Lord, abounding in love and truth, turn and take pity on me”. (Stanza 3)

5. And God will answer our prayer today here and now in the Eucharist! In the Eucharist we celebrate the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ and our Risen Lord will give us his Holy Spirit, the fire of his love to burn away our sins! To burn away the weeds (poisonous grass) in us, in our Church, and in our World, until the end of time when all the darnel (weeds/poisonous grass) in us, in the Church, and in the World, will be burnt away! That will be the end of the world! The end of the world is not the end of the physical and material world, but the end of the evil and sinful world! So do not be afraid of the end of the world, but pray for the end of the world! This is the good news! Amen!

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