HOMILY FOR THE SIXTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A.
HOMILY THEME: THE PATIENT AND FORGIVING FATHER
BY: Fr. Benny Tuazon
HOMILY:
(Mt.13:24-30)
In today’s Gospel, together with the First Reading, Jesus portrayed the Father as patient and forgiving.
These are two complimentary divine attributes which are, ultimately, for our salvation. Jesus used the parable of the weeds among the wheat to depict His message. Farmers are aware that weeds (and pests) are part of farming. Weeds grow with the wheat during the time of Jesus. As a result, the weeds compete with the wheat for sustenance. Will they pull out the weeds now? Jesus told them they will not be weeded out. They will grow with the wheat, after harvest, they will be separated and be burned.
Just as the weeds will be separated from the wheat, the sheep from the goats, the repentant and the unrepentant will be separated. But the analogy is limited. Weeds remain weeds. Sinners are human beings who have the capacity to repent and change. Weeds will definitely be burned after harvest time. Sinners may become saints once they convert back to God. Here is where God’s patience and forgiveness come in. God is willing to wait for us. God is not obsessed with punishing and then lose us. He will wait and render forgiveness.
It follows that we ought to be like the Father in being forgiving and patient. Our human instincts call and shout for justice and revenge. We are tempted to quash criminals, violators, immoral people , and other pests of society. But we should not forget that they are humans like us. We have weaknesses. We do commit evil at times. We must be patient to be patient. In the end, we will see that we also benefit from this. God had been patient and forgiving of us. Is it not a great privilege not only to make an act of gratitude to God but also share His patience and forgiveness to others?
