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A WORD FROM THE PASTOR
God Sells Seeds Only!
Have you ever noticed that the people who are bad sometimes are the very same people who are good sometimes? There is a story called Two Wolves which explains this truth of life. An old man who was teaching his grandson about life, said to the boy, "A fight is going on inside of everyone; it is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego." He continued, "The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you and inside every other person, too."
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?" The old man simply replied, "The one you feed." What is important is that what you feed your mind will reflect in your behavior!
Today's Gospel parable reminds us that we are a mixture of good and evil. The master knows who has sown the weeds. The real surprise is that the master does not allow to pull out the weeds on the spot, rather he gives time till the end time of harvest. The lesson from the parable is that each human being is a combination of good and evil. By the very fact a person exhibited bad behavior at one time, it does not mean he would continue to be like that till the end of his life. God is giving many opportunities and ample times to all of us to change from bad to good and from good to better and from better to best. Remember that the power of God's grace is superior to the power of evil. The patience of the master is not to be taken otherwise.
In this modern time, it has become a "fashion" to many of the younger generation, not to believe in God, not attending the church on Sundays, not marrying in the church, and unminding of church's teachings on moral issues and so on. The parents and grandparents of those people express their anguish, "I put my children in the Catholic school, I put my children in the faith formation classes, I sent them to the church on Sundays. But now they are totally different. They find fault with us "Why do we go to the church?" The litany of their complaints are innumerable.
Where are the weeds coming from? Who sows them? Apparently it's social media, bad things on the internet and active promotion of secular thoughts and activities today. God is patiently waiting for a change in their lives. Let me complete my reflection with a story.
A woman dreamed one night that she walked into a brand new shop. Much to her surprise, she found God working behind the counter. She asked God, "What do you sell here?" "Everything your heart desires," God replied. It was incredible. She was talking face to face with God. "I want peace of mind and love and happiness and wisdom and freedom from fear," she told God. Then almost as an afterthought she added, "Not just for me, but for everyone on earth." God smiled, "I think you've got me wrong, my dear. We don't sell fruits here. Only seeds." God's word is the seed. Let us allow it to grow in good soil (good heart) and keep the weeds away from heart and mind.
In the Service of the Lord,
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