27 July, Saturday — The good with the bad

Saturday of Week 16 in Ordinary Time

Jer 7:1-11
Mt 13:24-30

“While everybody was asleep his enemy came…” 

We may be sowing good seed in the field, doing what we think is helping to build God’s kingdom. But if we don’t stay alert or close to the Lord, the ‘enemy’ will come in secret, quietly sowing darnel in our vineyard — sowing seeds of doubt, fear, distrust, and everything that’s not from the Lord.

The enemy is always on the prowl, looking for the slightest opportunity to slip through the cracks when we least expect it. Spiritual pride gets in the way, or something as seemingly harmless as minding our own business, which can then lead to a lack of compassion. There will come a time when darnel will be found alongside wheat – the bad with the good. How I see it is that we are a mixture of good and bad, of both righteousness and sin. Every day is a constant fight against right or wrong, to do or not do, to choose our way or his way. Our intentions may be for the good of all, but sometimes we may be too complacent, or we don’t realise that what we’re doing (or not doing) can hurt others. A simple example — when we scold our children, we do it because we care and are concerned for them; yet our scolding often hurts them. Do we choose to quickly walk by a blind person or to stop and ask if he/she needs help? To check on a colleague’s well being, or do we just get on with our own work?    

It is not easy to make a conscientious effort to do good every day. But we try and ultimately, God knows our flaws and our hearts. He continues to look at all of us with love and generosity – that’s why he does not choose to separate the darnel from the wheat. Only on the final judgment day does he decide to let the darnel be bundled and burnt while the wheat be gathered in his barn (God’s kingdom).

Brothers and sisters, He’s ever patient, ever forgiving and ever loving — just waiting to reconcile with us.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Cynthia Chew)

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, you know our hearts best. Forgive us for the times when we fail to do the right things, when we ignore the poor and the marginalised. Show us the way back so that we can remain in your fold. Amen 

Thanksgiving: Thank you Jesus, for being so patient, so forgiving and not judging us, always waiting for us to come back to where we belong.