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."

Introductory Prayer: My Father, I thank you for adopting me as your child, thanks to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, my Lord and your Only Son. I begin my prayer In the name of you, my Father who loved me by creating me, of your Son who loved me by dying for me, of your Holy Spirit who dwells within me. Amen.

Petition: Lord, help me to live as you told me to by the words of St. Paul: by the perfect law of freedom so that in my life the fruits of the Spirit may be present, which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22)

1. He replied, 'No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. Why is evil allowed to persist, so often ruthlessly overcoming goodness and causing unspeakable suffering? Why are the weeds allowed to spread through the wheat? Our hearts turn to God in prayer with so much suffering and evil around us. At the core of this mystery is human freedom which God respects. The weeds are the children of the evil one, but we can change and become children of the Good One. That is Gods hope. Since we are free, those who do evil can always change, and those who do good can always fall. That is the mystery of our freedom, and that, coupled with Gods mercy is our hope. He has sent his children into the world to bring his pardon and to change lives. God does not want the evildoer to perish, and he needs those who will bring the light of his teaching and the reality of his mercy and forgiveness so that all can be saved. We are messengers of hope.

2. "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." The parable refers to the capacity of the Church as the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ to transform society but it can also be applied to the power of grace to transform our freedom. That freedom is a fallen freedom, it needs to be nourished, educated and strengthened. Very often when we think we are acting freely we are really acting under the influence of our passions or of our human respect, so again we need here light and guidance. Mary is the one who used her freedom always well, and Gods grace grew and grew in her life without hindrance. The greatest expression of her freedom was her total and absolute love for God, which she expressed in her words, may it be done unto me according to your words. 

Grace or Divine Life, which we receive and increase by frequently receiving the sacraments of the Church, is the yeast that transforms our fallen human nature until our whole person is transformed. If at times we feel powerless before temptation, we need to remember that we are not alone. We can say with St. Paul: It is when I am weak that I am strong for I can do all things in him who strengthens me. And this strength comes through the sacraments.

3. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, ought to hear." In all matters, look to the goal said the ancients. And what is the goal of human existence if not Heaven! Amidst the ongoing struggles on the seemingly never-ending battle of life, it is easy to become discouraged, making it even more necessary not to lose sight of the final victory that has, paradoxically, already been won in the victorious defeat of the Crucified One on Calvary. His victory is your victory guaranteeing us the final outcome if we truly exercise our freedom to pursue the truth and to do the good. Even when the weed seems to be winning, be it in our personal life or in the world, we have to work for the good, sowing good seed in our own hearts and in the world around us. Pope Benedict XVI at his inauguration said: The world was not saved by the power of the crucifiers but by the crucified one. And the peace of Christ, which the world cannot give, will thus enter our souls. 

Conversation: Lord, grant me your pardon and the strength to change when I see the weeds in my own life. Grant me perseverance to work with love and perseverance when I see the weeds multiply in the world around me. Grant me the grace always to hope that with your grace you can make me leaven for my brothers and sisters, in my home, my school, my workplace. Grant me always to work in the firm belief that your Kingdom will come.

Questionnaire:

1. What is my reaction to evil? Do I only perceive the evil in the world and forget to examine the failings in my own life?

2.   In what concrete way can I become leaven in my home, and in my school/workplace?

3.   In what way can I strengthen and renew my hope in Christ?