Homily

My friends in Jesus, today's readings from the Holy Scripture provided us with a very powerful message. The First Reading from the Book of Wisdom spoke of God's righteousness. The Second Reading from the Letter to the Romans spoke of the intercession of the Holy Spirit on behalf of the children of God. The last Reading from Gospel of Matthew announced how, at the end of the age, the children of God will be separated from the children of the evil one.

From the First Reading, we learned about the love of God. There is no God like the true God. He cares about everyone, shining in righteousness and patience towards all. Righteousness is His strength. He will not judge anyone unjustly.

In His Divine righteousness, God provides all of us with the opportunity to be saved through Jesus Christ. When some are arrogant, doubting the power of God, He shows them His strength. Through such actions, He teaches His people that the righteous must be kind. He fills His children with good hope because He freely gives to all who repent of their sins.

In His all-knowing power through the Holy Spirit, God knows our human weaknesses. Through the Sacrament of Baptism, He blessed us with the indwelling Holy Spirit to help us overcome our human weaknesses. The Holy Spirit teaches us how to pray. On our behalf, He intercedes to God for all our needs, especially our spiritual needs. God sees our heart. He knows the thoughts of the Holy Spirit who pleads on our behalf in accordance with the Will of God.

Considering all what God has done for us, let us now review the Parable of the mustard seed. Through this Parable, Jesus confirms that the Kingdom of Heaven has descended on earth. The mustard seed is the Holy Catholic Church that has been instituted by Jesus while He dwelled on earth in His physical body. What had a small beginning, having just twelve Apostles, has grown to become the largest tree (Church) in the world, having branches that reach out to every nations of the world. On the branches, (the local Churches), the birds (the souls and bodies of the faithful) can find rest in Jesus Christ.

The Holy Catholic Church, the Body of Christ that has been purchased by the Blood of Christ, is the gift of God to His children. It is through which, by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, that we receive the Church Sacraments that serve to sanctify us so we may become holy children in the likeness of Jesus.

While many have been blessed by the Catholic Church, the beautiful gift of God, the Pope, the Cardinals, the Bishops, the hundreds of thousands of priests, the religious brothers and sisters, over and above the endless number of faithful, still, there are some who refuse to come home to the Body of Christ. They reject the Sacraments of the Church. By doing so, they are rejecting the grace of God. They are rejecting the power of the Holy Spirit, He who has been sent to lead and teach the believers. They reject the Most Holy Name of Jesus.

During today's reading of the "Parable of the Weeds among the Wheat," Jesus told us what will happen to those who refuse to come home to the Holy Catholic Church. In the Parable, Jesus was the One who sowed the good seed in the field. His good seed, the children of the Kingdom, are found throughout the world.

In the company of the children of God, there are the children of the evil one, those that Satan has sowed to torment the children of God. These are the weeds, the ones who refuse to come home, they disturbing the children of God by their attitude of indifference to their salvation. In the end, the angels will sort out God's children from Satan's children.

As sad as it is to say, in many families, there will be division. This will be seen among parents, spouses, children, brothers and sisters, some inheriting the Kingdom of Heaven, others being thrown into the furnace of fire where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Now God could have done everyone a favour by immediately sending His servants, the angels, to remove the weeds. Why did He not do so? He did not do so because that would have uprooted His children. How would we have reacted if suddenly, our mother or our father, a brother or a sister, or even some of our children, were suddenly taken away from us because they are not living their faith in Christ as they should have been doing without excuses? 

Had God suddenly removed all those who will not inherit the Kingdom of God, Satan would have used that to turn us against God. Satan would have planted thoughts in our minds that would have resulted in our questioning the righteousness and patience of God with sinners. He would have told us that maybe, our loved ones would have changed at the last minute.

To prevent this diabolical influence from happening, in His endless patience and righteousness, God allows those who are evil to continue to live their evil ways to their last minute. That will not change anything! In the end, they will still be damned because, through their own free will, they have chosen to be damned. At least that way, in the end, we will have seen the patience and righteousness of a just God. We will come to accept as just that those who are damned have chosen to be damned.

At that time, the righteous who persevered in their living faith through Jesus Christ, will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!