16th Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 19, 2026
What are the weeds in our lives? God gives us the chance to slowly grow and bear fruitful lives.
GOSPEL
Matthew 13:24-43
Jesus proposed another parable to the crowds, saying: "The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.
When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well. The slaves of the householder came to him and said,
'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where have the weeds come from?' He answered, 'An enemy has done this.' His slaves said to him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?' He replied, 'No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest; then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters,
"First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn." He proposed another parable to them. "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush, and the 'birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.'" He spoke to them another parable. "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch was leavened." All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables. He spoke to them only in parables, to fulfill what had been said through the prophet: I will open my mouth in parables, I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation of the world. Then, dismissing the crowds, he went into the house. His disciples approached him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field." He said in reply, "He who sows good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world, the good seed the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears ought to hear."
REFLECTIONS ON THE GOSPEL
From Living Space, a service of the Irish Jesuits
Parables of the Kingdom (cont’d)
The next parable, which is only found in Matthew, is also about the planting of seed but the concern is quite different and again it reflects the experience of the early Church. A man has sown good seed in his field but, unknown to him, an enemy has come and planted weeds among the wheat. As the plants come up the farmer sees the weeds growing all through his wheat. His slaves want to pull them out but the farmer tells them to wait until the harvest time. The wheat and the weeds are similar in appearance in the early stages and it will be much easier to differentiate them as they mature. In the meantime, let both grow side by side. This is a picture of the Kingdom and also of the Church which is trying to be part of it. For the early Church more distressing in many ways than persecution from outside must have been betrayal and shortcomings on the inside. There would have been a strong temptation immediately to get rid of such people. But wiser heads prevailed. Wait. Let God be the judge and, in any case, people can change. The sinner of today may be the saint of tomorrow. This has been a problem all through the history of the Church and today is no exception. There is always a strong temptation among those who feel themselves more committed to living out the Gospel to adopt an elitist approach to the faith. This can take two forms: either members who are seen as falling short of the Church’s requirements in faith and behaviour are got rid of, or, which may be more common, those who see themselves more committed form a relatively closed group, a church within a church. There has been a certain amount of tension over such situations with the appearance of a number of Catholic movements in recent times. Today’s parable reminds us of something very important, namely, that the Church is and always will be a Church of sinners and for sinners. Our Church is, as Paul puts it, a vessel of clay, leaking and easily broken. At the same time, we have been called to help bring about the Kingdom in our world and we have constantly to try to do that. But we need to distinguish between the vessel and its contents, the weeds and the wheat, to distinguish between the Christian vision and the Church which tries to communicate it. Some have been disturbed by so-called ‘scandals’ and some have left the Church because of them. This, I feel, is not to understand today’s parable. These scandals far from undermining the Christian vision only affirm it. That vision remains a shining ideal. But the Church, which is not to be identified with the vision, is the flawed and fragile bearer of that vision. It has always been so and always will be. The Church is called to proclaim the Kingdom but it has to struggle to realise that Kingdom in itself also. Today’s parable is a call for tolerance, patience, compassion and understanding while not compromising on the vision that comes to us from Jesus.
Reflection
• The Gospel today presents Jesus’ explanation, at the petition of the disciples, of the parable of the wheat grain and the darnel. Some experts think that this explanation, which Jesus gives to His disciples, is not Jesus’ but the community’s. This is possible and probable, because a parable, by its nature, requires the involvement and the participation of people in the discovery of its significance. Just as the plant is already contained within the seed, in the same way, certainly, the explanation of the community is in the parable. And it is precisely this objective that Jesus wanted and wants to attain with the parable. The meaning which we are discovering today in the parable which Jesus told two thousand years ago was already enclosed, or contained, in the story that Jesus told, just as the flower is already contained in its seed.
• Matthew 13:36: The request of the disciples to Jesus: the explanation of the parable of the wheat grain and the darnel. The disciples, in the house, speak and ask for an explanation of the parable of the wheat grain and the darnel. (Mt 13:24-30). It has been said many times that Jesus, in the house, continued to teach His disciples (Mk 7:17; 9:28,33; 10:10). At that time, there was no television, and people spent the long winter evenings together, speaking about the facts and events of life. On these occasions Jesus completed the teaching and the formation of His disciples.
• Matthew 13:38-39: The meaning of each one of the elements of the parable. Jesus responds taking again each one of these elements of the parable and giving them significance: the field is the world; the good seed are the members of the Kingdom; the darnel is the members of the adversary (the evil one); the enemy is the devil; the harvest is the end of time; the reapers are the angels. And now reread the parable (Mt 13:24-30) giving to each one of these six elements: field, good seed, darnel, enemy, harvest and reapers, the right significance. In this way the story assumes a completely new sense and it is possible to attain the objective that Jesus had in mind when He told the parable of the darnel and the good seed. Some think that this parable should be understood as an allegory and not as a parable properly so-called.
• Matthew 13:40-43: The application of the parable or of the allegory. With the information given by Jesus, you will better understand its application: Just as the darnel is gathered up and burnt in the fire, so it will be at the end of time. The Son of Man will send His angels and they will gather from His kingdom all causes of failing and all who do evil, and throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father.”
The destiny of the darnel is the furnace. The destiny of the grain is to shine like the sun in the Kingdom of the Father. Behind these two images there is the experience of the people. After they have listened to Jesus and have accepted Him in their life, everything has changed for them. This means that in Jesus what they expected has taken place: the fulfillment of the promises. Now life is divided into before and after having accepted Jesus in their lives. The new life has begun with the splendor of the sun. If they continued to live as before, they would be like the darnel in the furnace: life without meaning, which is good for nothing.
• Parable and Allegory. There is the parable. There is the allegory. There is the mixture of both which is the more common form. Generally, everything in the parable is a call. In the Gospel of today, we have the example of an allegory. An allegory is a story which a person tells, but when she is telling it, she does not think about the elements of the story, but about the theme which has to be clarified. In reading an allegory it is not necessary to look at the story as a whole, because in an allegory the story is not constructed around a central point which later serves as a comparison. Rather, each element has its own independent function, starting from the sense which it receives. It is a matter of discovering what each element of the two stories tries to tell us about the Kingdom, as the explanation which Jesus gave of the parable: field, good seed, darnel, enemy, harvest, reapers. Generally the parables are also allegories, and a mixture of both.
Personal questions
• In the field everything is mixed up: darnel and grain. In the field of my life, what prevails: darnel or grain?
• Notice that this parable includes “all who cause others to sin” as well as “all evildoers”. We often just focus on our own sins. Do I focus on what effect I have on others and whether I cause others to sin by what I say or do? Will I think about that, now and during my self-examinations? Have you tried to talk with other people to discover the meaning of some parable?
ENCOUNTER CHRIST REFLECTIONS AND MEDITATIONS
Preparation for the Session
Presence of God: Jesus, As I come to you today, fill my heart, my whole being, with the wonder of your sacred presence. Help me to become more aware of your presence in my life, and more receptive to that presence. I desire to love you as you love me. May nothing ever separate me from you. (1-2 minutes of silence)
Freedom: Jesus, Grant me the grace to have freedom of spirit. Keep me from being bound by desires and actions that are not good for me or others. Cleanse my heart and soul that I may live joyously in your love. (1-2 minutes of silence)
Consciousness: Where am I with God? With others in my life? What am I grateful for? Is there something I am sorry for, words or actions that have hurt others, and which I now regret? I take a moment to ask forgiveness of God and of those whom I have hurt. God, I give you thanks for your constant love and care for me. Keep me always aware of your presence in my life. (2-3 minutes of silence)
Opening Prayer
God, you are merciful to me and others. You give us time and space to grow in your love. Help me to be receptive to your grace and give me the courage to change what needs to be changed and the wisdom to allow myself and others to flourish at your pace, not ours.
Companions for the Journey
From "First Impressions", a service of the Southern Dominican Province, by Jude Siciliano, O.P.
Today we have the parable of the weeds and the wheat—and we need it. We tune in sports events and ask, "Who's winning?" We also tune in the world around us through tv, newspapers, radio and now internet coverage and are tempted to ask the same question, "Who's winning...Good or Evil?"... "The decent people of the world or the violators of innocence?" The twentieth century was the most brutal in the history of the world. Aren't things supposed to be improving as we advance as a people? It gets discouraging; the evidence mounts against optimism. We tend to want give up on the world and wonder where God is in it all. Which is why we need to look at the parables and, in particular, today's parable about weeds and wheat. The early church, the recipients of Matthew's gospel, had to face the mystery of wickedness too. Why is there evil in the world, in the church and in our own hearts? That's a very big question and this parable doesn't give an easy answer. It doesn't explain it at all! But neither does it ignore the problem of evil in our midst. The owner of the field says it quite plainly, "I see an enemy's hand in this." This is not a naive or other-worldly parable. It faces the facts: wickedness is very real, it can't be ignored. It is not an illusion and, like the weeds in the midst of healthy plants, evil drains human life of its vitality and dedication. We see the weeds, not just in the world out there, but "up close and personal." The parable spoke to an early church that had its divisions, arguments and wickedness—why else would they have saved the parable? Our own congregations also have "issues." Sometimes they feel like they will split us in two—and sometimes they do. Our faith communities have been rocked by clergy scandal; divided along ethnic and racial lines; between original members and newcomers; between traditionalists and those who want to update. While we are at it, we look into our hearts and examine our own conduct. Weeds are part of the landscape of our personal spiritual field as well. Such vistas of evil, so obvious to us, make us want to get about the business of ripping out the weeds. They are the work of the enemy, we say and we want to purge evil from our country, church and our own hearts. Of course we have standards to guide us and there are times we must act decisively against the evil we perceive. Yet, the parable cautions us and it advises us about the dangers of rushing to judgment. We could destroy what is good in our attempts to rid the world of the bad. Jesus knew from his own experience that you can't always tell from initial signs how things are going to turn out. In the beginning Judas showed promise, early initiative and administrative skills—he was in charge of the purse. He seemed like excellent disciple material, a "keeper." If you were Jesus, wouldn't you have thought about eliminating Peter, Thomas or Martha? They didn't show initial signs of discernment and understanding of what following Jesus would entail. They were slow to catch on to Jesus' message. But Jesus was patient, he let the good work itself out in their lives. He gave them a chance to grow and bear fruit. Have you ever had a friend whom you disliked upon first meeting, yet, over time, he or she turned out to be your best friend? The parable says, "You never know." The parable is a story of grace for us. As we look into our own lives and recall the mistakes we have made and the wrongs we have done, aren't we glad we have had some time to change and work things out? Aren't we thankful we had the space to let the wheat grow and bear the rich harvest it has? Suppose we had been judged on the spot. Suppose God moved in quickly to judge and rip up? If we look at our present lives, we can still see what looks like weeds. Rather than being overcome by discouragement, we hear this parable of hope. Time is being given us, to let the good seed planted in us bear its fruit. We can trust the Owner knows what to do, and we can have trust in the outcome. This is a parable of confidence. God is in charge and will help us work things out. We don't give up the struggle to do what is right, even when we feel dismayed at how much still needs to be done. Parables, like pieces of ribbon, don't look powerful—a piece of cloth—a story. But they have power to touch us deeply. One symbolizes our unity through an exterior sign. The other gathers our faith and asks us to put trust in it—especially to trust the One who is telling us the parable right now. We wear the parable on our hearts; the way people wear ribbons—as a reminder. When the world confounds us and evidence seems to mount against our hopes, we look inside ourselves and see today's parable. We play it back so we can hear it again. It reassures us. We repeat it in our assemblies to stir us to action: to return to the struggle; to ignore the odds; to stop counting wins and losses—mostly, not to count our losses! In our struggle against evil, we keep at it, till Someone in charge sends word that it is time for the harvest; till Someone, who knows better than we how to do the sorting, gets around to it. The parable links us together here at our assembly. It stirs us hope in us. We are not dismayed by what still needs doing. There is no doubt in the story: the Owner is in charge. The Owner planted good seed and it is growing towards fruition and there will be a sorting-out—but later, under Someone else's supervision. Meanwhile, we still have time to let what is good grow in our lives. What time is it? The parable says, "There's still time, hang in there!" Thank God!
Living the Good News
What action can you take in the next week as a response to today's reading and discussion? Keep a private journal of your prayer/actions responses this week. Feel free to use the personal reflection questions which follow.
Reflection Questions:
In Matthew, a parable is both a riddle and a revelation. Sometimes, we think the message is obvious until some twist or inconsistency causes us to look more deeply, sometimes without answers. Are these three parables riddles or revelations for you?
Is it hard to understand why God does not simply remove the “weeds” on our lives?
Are we surprised or even irritated by God’s passivity?
Do I truly believe that God will have the last word?
Are there both weeds and wheat in my own life? In my own personality?
Which is prevalent?
What are the “weeds”, or limitations and evils found in my culture?
In my relationships?
In my religion?
In my personal make up?
Have I ever been, through word or example, the “weeds” in someone else’s struggle to grow in God’s grace?
Have I become more robust in my faith as I struggle to be strong enough to overcome the weeds in my life?
What is the role of personal humility in this struggle?
An undeniable message of this parable is to refrain from judging myself or others. We cannot give up too soon. Do I really believe that God is not finished with me yet?
Do I believe that God has given up on someone or some persons in my life, or on certain situations?
Am I willing to wait for God to complete the solution before rushing to do it myself by excluding or destroying another?
Jesus does not condone what is not of God, yet he seems to acknowledge that different motivations and spirits are at work. How may I let this spirit of Jesus shape my life? (from “Sacred Space”)
What is my position in this all-too-familiar struggle between good and evil?
Am I a spectator, an armchair critic, a consumer, or a warrior?
Do I consider myself a co-worker with God trying to bring about truth, peace and justice?
If I am a co-worker, what authority to I have to dismiss or punish others?
Has there been a person in my life whom I saw change from "weeds" to "wheat"?
Did I stick with him or her through that growth?
If so, what kept me hanging in there?
If not, what would I have done differently?
I try to look at my own "inner landscape" as a field that was sown with God's word at my Baptism. Where has God's word taken root in my life?
Do I see any "weeds" (attitudes or behaviors which run counter to the kingdom) choking out that word?
What are I going to do about it?
Have there ever been projects in my life, personal, academic or professional, which started out small and then flourished beyond my expectations?
How did that happen?
What elements were in play: timing, God's help, hard work or luck?
I recall a time in my life when someone saw my raw potential and gave me the time to develop it.
Has this happened in the spiritual realm as well?
Closing Prayer
Don’t forget to provide some prayer time at the beginning and at the end of the session (or both), allowing time to offer prayers for anyone you wish to pray for.
Dear Lord, give me the humility to see the weeds in my life; give me the courage to grow my good qualities so that they mitigate the less savory ones. Give me the compassion to understand the struggles others are going through and keep me from judging others too harshly. Above all, keep me from destroying in myself others what I perceive as weeds and let God do the weeding.
For the Week Ahead
Meditations
A Meditation in the Dominican Style/Asking Questions (Adapted from “Sacred Space”, a service of the Irish Jesuits): Sometimes we think that perfection is acquired by becoming aware of our faults and working to root these out. However, when we become more familiar with Jesus’ attitude to the limited and sinful side of ourselves, we learn to accept our limited and sinful self just as Jesus did with Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10). If we don’t accept this side of ourselves, we tend to become fixated with it and fail to appreciate the fullness of life Jesus has already given us. Am I frustrated and baffled by the presence of evil in my midst, or in myself? Do I believe that Good will have the last word? Do I believe that God’s grace is at work in the world and in me? Can I cultivate patience and tolerance toward myself, and toward others? I sit with Jesus and let Him teach me to let the weeds grow with the wheat in my life. I ask for help to appreciate all that is good and beautiful about my life.
A Meditation in the Franciscan Style/Action: People often confuse the phrase "kingdom of heaven" with heaven itself. Instead, it refers to Jesus' dream of a better, more perfect world in which God's ideals replace human selfishness. We pray for this whenever we say the Lord's Prayer (Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven). We need to remember, however, that the kingdom will not come to be without the efforts of people to change themselves (personal conversion) and without their efforts to change unjust and murderous power structures as well. Pray the Lord's prayer every day this week, stopping for a few moments to reflect on what you are doing personally to bring about God's kingdom on earth. Then pick one or two attitudinal things you can work to change yourself, and at least one action you can take on behalf of those suffering from poverty, systemic prejudice, a flawed justice system. Do it.
A Meditation in the Augustinian Style/Relationship: Sometimes when we think of God, we have an unconscious fear that God’s mission is primarily to separate the wheat from the chaff. Often religions have emphasized heaven and hell, reward and punishment, to scare us into doing the right thing. This kind of God is a “gotcha” God, waiting to pounce on our mistakes and consigning us to the eternal fire. Some of these notions of God are echoed in well-known literary references, such as Dante’s Inferno, which teach us to fear eternal punishment and to trod the straight and narrow. Several fictional characters who have made their way into popular culture reinforce this image: The Queen of Hearts, a character from the 1865 book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, is a foul-tempered monarch whom Carroll himself describes as "a blind fury", and who is quick to give death sentences at the slightest offense. One of her most famous lines is the oft-repeated "Off with his/her head!" / "Off with their heads!" Another fictional character to be feared is none other than Santa Claus: You better watch out you better not cry, you better not pout; I'm telling you why: Santa Claus is coming to town! He's making a list; He's checking it twice; He's gonna find out who's naughty or nice: Santa Claus is coming to town He sees you when you're sleeping; He knows when you're awake; He knows if you've been bad or good; So be good for goodness sake! Too often, in our spiritual life, we forget that we cannot love what we fear. Obedience out of fear is coercion, and obedience out of love is, well, love! This parable from Matthew (13:24-30) makes it clear that God has planted us here on earth and is waiting and hoping that we will grow into the kind of person that would want to be with God. Do I need to readjust my notions of God as the “big narc in the sky”, and look seriously at my motivations for doing God’s will? Do really desire a loving relationship with God and are my thoughts and actions shaped by this love? How can prayer help create and intensify my loving relationship with God?
Poetic Reflection:
Too often, we identify with the chaff (weeds)in this gospel, not worthy of God’s love and grace. Mary Oliver shows us that even the most ordinary person, a person with a prayer life that others may frown upon, is also a person who just might be included in God’s kingdom.
Praying
It doesn't have to be
the blue iris, it could be
weeds in a vacant lot, or a few
small stones, just
pay attention, then patch
a few words together and don't try
to make them elaborate, this isn't
a contest but the doorway
into thanks, and a silence in which
another voice may speak
—from Thirst
