SATURDAY, SIXTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne
Ex 24: 3-8 Ps 50: 1-2, 5-6, 14-15 Mt 13: 24-30
PURITY AND PATIENCE
Today’s readings present two powerful images of God’s relationship with His people: one of solemn covenant, the other of patient mercy. In the first reading, Moses seals the covenant between God and Israel with the blood of sacrifices, sprinkling it on the altar and the people, declaring, “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you.” This moment marks Israel’s formal commitment to obey God’s commandments, foreshadowing the New Covenant in Christ’s blood. In contrast, Jesus’ parable of the wheat and the weeds reveals God’s forbearance. When the servants ask whether they should uproot the weeds sown among the wheat, the master replies, “Let both grow together until the harvest.” Unlike the decisive covenant ceremony in Exodus, this parable emphasizes God’s patience, allowing good and evil to coexist until the final judgment.
At first glance, these passages seem contradictory – one emphasizing commitment and purity, the other tolerance and waiting. Yet together, they offer a balanced vision of the spiritual life. The covenant in Exodus reminds us that God calls us to holiness, binding us to Himself through sacrifice and obedience. The parable in Matthew assures us that, despite our failures and the presence of evil in the world, God does not rush to condemn but gives time for repentance and growth. For us, this means living in tension: we are called to be faithful to God’s covenant, striving for holiness, while also trusting in His mercy when we, or others, fall short. The blood of the covenant reminds us of the seriousness of our commitment, while the parable reassures us that God’s justice is tempered with patience.
In our lives, we may long for immediate purity, both in ourselves and in the Church. But Jesus teaches that transformation takes time. Rather than demanding perfection now, we are called to persevere in faith, trusting that God will separate the wheat from the weeds in His time. Our task is to remain rooted in His covenant, nourished by His grace, and patient with His timing.
Response: Give your praise as a sacrifice to God
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