GOOD AND EVIL MIXED TOGETHER

XVI SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Matthew 13:24-43

Throughout the ages, there have been people who are fast in condemning whoever thinks differently. There are the correct - or politically correct and the heretic, that is those who do not conform and have their ideas. Some follow the established rules of behaviour and some others don’t fear to break the rules. There are the pure and the impure, the saints and the sinners. And those who consider themselves pure think that they must rid the world of the impure and the sinners. The Pharisees were nicknamed so, because they set themselves apart, refusing to mix with the sinners and the impure. In our modern times, we are going through the same phenomenon. Those who are not politically correct are denied the right to free speech and are banned from the public square. Those who reject the woke ideology, or the transgender ideology are insulted and ostracised. Time and again, we are confronted with those who are ready to cancel and ban all those they consider to be sinners. The parable of the darnel mixed with the wheat speaks of such an attempt.

In the field of the world, we see good and evil mixed and we, the servants of the Lord, may have the desire of uprooting the evil for the world to be pure and holy. However, the Lord forbade the servants to do such a thing, because they would not be able to distinguish clearly the good from the evil. The judgement belongs to the Lord, not to us. And that will take place at the end of time. Meanwhile, we live mixed together, each one making an effort to do better. The main effort must consist in overcoming the evil which dwells in our hearts. In each one of us, there is good and evil and we must fight the evil intentions of our hearts so that we grow in faithfulness to the Lord. May the merciful Lord be kind to us, guide us through his Spirit and give us the strength to walk on the path of righteousness.