SUSPENSION OF JUDGMENT AND OUR FIGHT AGAINST EVIL.

HOMILY, 16^th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A

Wisdom 12:13.16-19, Romans 8:26-27, Matthew 13:24-43

The kingdom of God permits both the good and the bad to live and even worship together. It is all about time. An appointed time had already been fixed for evil to be completely eradicated. But in the meantime, one must possess the right sense of discernment, lest one is overtaken by evil. We must not lose our guard. We must not give way for slumber.

The owner of the field in today’s gospel was asleep when the enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. At times, we do not know the time when the person who we used to adore has changed into a monster. This often opens us to the risk of living as sheep among wolves.

Since we live in a community of saints and sinners, we must pray the Lord to help us lest we are polluted by devilish tendencies inherited from our relationship with others. We must check ourselves regularly, lest we give room for some kinds of weeds in us.

More so, in this world, it takes special knowledge and divine wisdom to scale through, because at times, in the efforts to correct an evil, a greater evil may be done. We need patience. That is why the owner of the field advised that the weeds should be left untouched, lest in gathering them the wheat are root up along with them. He rather said, “let both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”

However, we learn from the gospel that there is time for harvest, the time of reckoning, when God will judge everyone. Before then, we are all encouraged to suspend our Judgement and leave it to God. Let us also leave evil deeds so that at the end of time, we shall not suffer the wrath of God.

PRAYER

O Lord, make me pure within. Keep me awake that the evil one will not pollute my world. Give me the patience to live with those who pose threat to my existence, lest taking judgement into hands I may run the risk of judging myself. Thy kingdom come.