Reading 1
Wis 12:13, 16-19
There is no god besides you who have the care of all,
that you need show you have not unjustly condemned.
For your might is the source of justice;
your mastery over all things makes you lenient to all.
For you show your might when the perfection of your power is disbelieved;
and in those who know you, you rebuke temerity.
But though you are master of might, you judge with clemency,
and with much lenience you govern us;
for power, whenever you will, attends you.
And you taught your people, by these deeds,
that those who are just must be kind;
and you gave your children good ground for hope
that you would permit repentance for their sins.
86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16
Responsorial PsalmR. (5a)
Lord, you are good and forgiving.
You, O LORD, are good and forgiving,
abounding in kindness to all who call upon you.
Hearken, O LORD, to my prayer
and attend to the sound of my pleading.
R. Lord, you are good and forgiving.
All the nations you have made shall come
and worship you, O LORD,
and glorify your name.
For you are great, and you do wondrous deeds;
you alone are God.
R. Lord, you are good and forgiving.
You, O LORD, are a God merciful and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in kindness and fidelity.
Turn toward me, and have pity on me;
give your strength to your servant.
R. Lord, you are good and forgiving.
Reading II
Rom 8:26-27
Brothers and sisters:
The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness;
for we do not know how to pray as we ought,
but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.
And the one who searches hearts
knows what is the intention of the Spirit,
because he intercedes for the holy ones
according to God’s will.
Gospel
Mt 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.”
or
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.”
Meditation: Romans 8:26-27
Meditation: Romans 8:26-27
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“The Spirit helps us in our weakness.” (Romans 8:26)
Have you ever noticed how ready we are to take up one form of prayer—petition—and how uncomfortable we tend to feel about other forms, especially the kind of prayer mentioned in today’s second reading? We tend to be very good at asking God for his help or healing, for an end to war and abortion, or for grace and protection for family members. There seems to be no end to our needs, and no lack of confi dence that God will hear and answer us.
Of course, this is a very good way to pray, and God loves to pour out his blessings in response to our petitions. But there is another form of prayer that is just as valuable and just as necessary to our spiritual lives: the prayer that listens for God’s wisdom and revelation. In today’s Gospel, Jesus uses parables and analogies to teach the crowd how to understand the kingdom of God. And behind every parable and story Jesus told was his desire to “announce what has lain hidden from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 13:35).
Jesus isn’t done unveiling mysteries to his people. Through his Holy Spirit, he wants to unfold the truths of the gospel to each one of us, just as he has done for countless believers throughout the centuries. He wants to help us understand the things of God so that we can take hold of his kingdom more fully each day and bear fruit in this world.
At Mass today, let the Holy Spirit come to the aid of your spiritual weakness. As you listen to the Scripture readings, ask the Spirit to show you God’s kingdom in a new way. During Communion, tell him that you’re ready to listen to whatever he puts on your heart. Then, watch and see how the Spirit works.
“Come, Holy Spirit, and guide my prayer. You know the mind of God. You know the deepest desires of his heart. By your grace, open my eyes to these mysteries. Help me see Jesus more clearly.”
Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion
(Wisdom 12:13,16-19; Psalm 86:5-6,9-10,15-16; Romans 8:26-27; Matthew 13:24-43)
1. In the first reading, we hear that “those who are just must be kind”. How does the cross reflect God’s justice and kindness toward you? In what way is there a conflict between justice and kindness in your life? What steps can you take to reduce this conflict?
2. In the responsorial psalm, we also read that God is “forgiving” and “merciful”. We know that God forgives us when we confess our sins? How ready are you to forgive those who have wronged you? Why do we have a tendency to demand justice from God for others but mercy for ourselves? Why is this contrary to the Gospel?
3. In the letter to the Romans, St. Paul tells us that the “Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness.” How often during the day do you turn to the Holy Spirit, present in each baptized Catholic, to seek help and guidance? What steps can you take to change that?
4. In the Gospel, we see that the smallest of actions (e.g., the sowing of a “mustard seed” and the mixing of “yeast” with flour) can have a very large effect. What areas of your life would some small steps by you have a major impact? Are you willing to take these steps? Why or why not?
5. The meditation speak of the type of the prayer “that listens for God’s wisdom and revelation.” In your times of prayer or at Mass, how can you open yourself more to hear God speaking to you, through the power of the Holy Spirit that dwells in you?
6. Take some time now to pray for a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit and a heart and mind open to the Lord’s revelation and wisdom. Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as the starting point.
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