July 17, 2011
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time A
By Rev. Joe McCloskey, SJ
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 sons good ground for hope that you would permit repentance for their sins. wisdom 12:16-19
In the same way, the Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself intercedes with inexpressible groanings. And the one who searches hearts knows what is the intention of the Spirit, because it intercedes for the holy ones according to God's will. Romans 8:26-27
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. Matthew 13:40-43
Piety
The perfect answer to the problem of evil is the parable of the weeds and the wheat. The Lord allows evil to coexist with evil so that the good do not get hurt in the punishment of the bad. We are caught up all too oft en with the smallness of our work. We rarely see the outcome of our little beginning s. The parable of the mustard see answers the question of how little we are by making our littleness insignificant before the power of God that allows the little things we do to grow into something significant. It is a truism of the kingdom that only the insignificant is significant in the kingdom of God. The Lord is able to make something significant of the littlest thing we do in his name.
Study
We study how the Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness. When our hearts are groaning, our very groans are the voice of the Spirit within interceding for us to the Father. The inexpressible groaning have the intentions of the spirit as their meaning. The little ones have revealed to them the mysteries of the kingdom. Their simplicity of heart expresses the love of God in the voice of the Spirit. No cry for help goes unheeded. We learn from the little ones how to call out to God. God has the care of all.
Action
We try to be kind that all may have grounds for hope. We try to judge with clemency so that leniency governs us. We want to be judged as we judge. We try to let our deeds show the perfection of the power of God. We give God’s greatness the chance to be expressed in the way we show love to one another. We commit ourselves to kindness so that people might be governed by the deeds of God’s love.
