16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

THE PARABLE OF THE WEEDS AMONG THE WHEAT

The Weeds

The weeds referred to here is called the bearded darnel. It is said that in the early stages of growth the darnel and the wheat look alike. When they begin to produce grain that is when it is easy to distinguish one from the other. But by that time, their roots are so entwined that when you pull the darnel, you also pull out the wheat. Consequently, the farmers in Palestine allow both to grow and only at harvest time are they separated.

The Sower of the Weeds

It might seem far-fetched for anyone to go through the trouble of sowing weeds in the field of another. Yet it seems to occur because there is a Roman law punishing such a crime. In India a common threat is "I will sow bad seed in your field."

Evil in the World

There is evil in the world. We have to live with that.

But how did evil come into the world? The parable says that it is the enemy who is responsible for the evil in the world. And who is this enemy? The Book of Genesis says that it is Satan.

But how could God allow such a thing to happen? Again Genesis says that it is because the first human beings instead of listening to God, listened to Satan.

Agents of Satan

Though the Book of Genesis presents Satan as directly causing Adam and Eve to fall, the common sources of temptation are other people, places and things. And among the three, the most potent and the most common cause of sin is probably people.

Once Don Bosco had a dream. He saw the devils doing nothing but lie down outside the gates of his school. Don Bosco asked them what they were doing there. They were supposed to be inside the school tempting his boys to sin. But the devils responded by saying that they have agents inside doing the job for them.

It was because of this that Don Bosco never tired to telling his boys to flee from bad companions as they would flee from a poisonous snake.

For parents, it is important for you to know the company that your children keep. To do that let your children invite their friends to come to your house.

For adults, remember the saying: "Birds of the same feather flock together." It's a matter of choosing the kind of company that you keep.

Are You a BI?

BI means bad influence. The problem might not be that of keeping bad company. The problem might be that we are the bad company. How's that?

It is possible that because of the bad example that we give, we cause others to sin.

The Patience of God

Masamang damo, matagal mamatay.

Perhaps there some truth in that saying. For God wants all men to be saved and that is why he gives evil people all the chances to repent and return to him.