Today we hear another puzzling parable about allowing weeds and wheat to grow together in a field. “If you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them.” This is so contrary to our inclination to want to pull out the weeds. Jesus tells us that harvest time, with God as the judge, will be the time for separation.
One application of this parable has to do with our desire for the Church to be perfect. Some people become disappointed and even leave the Church when some “weeds” are very evident. Our modern crisis stemming from the sexual abuse of minors by some priests and the mismanagement of these cases by some bishops has led to some members making the difficult decision to depart. This painful reality in our Church reminds us that the Church is not perfect because the Church is made up of imperfect human beings.
What does this parable of Jesus teach you about God’s way toward imperfection in yourself and in others? What is your part in helping to make the Church more holy?