Fwd from Trần Kim Thục
Meditation: Matthew 13:24-43
In his parable of the weeds among the wheat, Jesus confirms what we already know to be true: evil exists in the world. We see evidence of it all around us. Sometimes it even seems as if evil is winning out. Will the weeds eventually choke out the wheat and overrun the field of God’s kingdom?
Jesus assures us that it will not. In the end, the angels of God will sort the good from the bad, and evil will be destroyed forever (Matthew 13:41). The fact is, by his death and resurrection, Jesus has already won the victory over evil. Someday God’s kingdom will reign over all the earth.
Meanwhile, how can we hasten its coming? It’s significant that after telling the first parable about the weeds and the wheat, Jesus tells two more parables about the kingdom of heaven. It’s like a tiny mustard seed that grows into a large bush (Matthew 13:31-32). It’s like a little yeast that leavens a whole loaf of bread (13:33). These are hopeful images! God’s kingdom isn’t static. It begins in many small ways and then grows and grows.
You have a part to play in its growth! With every prayer, with every act of faith, with every good deed, you help to build the kingdom of heaven on earth. Making time for prayer, worshipping at Mass, helping the poor, sharing your faith, reaching out to a friend in need, speaking out in defense of life—in these ways and more, you can participate in growing God’s kingdom. Yes, they can seem like small things. But so are the mustard seed and that little pinch of yeast.
So don’t get discouraged by the evil you see, and don’t give up hope. Believe that your small acts of faithfulness really do make a difference. And taken together with other believers, they become a mighty force in choking out the weeds of this world.
“Lord, may your kingdom come!”
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