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16^th Sunday, Year A: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Theme: God’s Power Revealed in Mercy: A Call to Patience in a World of Imperfect people.

Readings: Wis 12:13, 16–19; Rom 8:26–27; Mt 13:24–43

My dearest friends, I would like to begin this homily with a story — a story that reveals what goes on in the hearts of many Christians. In December 2019, during the Christmas season, I was in a parish in Milan for pastoral duties. One day, during the preparations for Christmas, a lady approached me with a question. Her disposition was that of someone carrying a heavy burden, a burden that was affecting her faith in God.

She said to me: “Father, I believe that God is all-powerful, that His power prevails over the evil forces in the world, and that He loves us, His children. But what I do not understand is why He has failed to completely destroy evil and the wicked. Why are there evil people everywhere? Does it mean that God is no longer the mighty man in battle?”

Dear friends, the answer I gave her is drawn from today’s readings.

I know that this lady is not alone in her thoughts about God. Many people in today’s Mass may be carrying similar questions in their hearts — especially those who have suffered abuse in their lives, marriages, relationships, and families; those who have endured injustice in their workplaces and in society; those who have been repaid with evil for doing good. Many of these people ask: “Why does God permit evil to triumph so often? Why are the wicked allowed to prosper?”

My dearest friends, Jesus answers these questions in today’s parable. He teaches us the true nature of our God.

The first reading paints a beautiful picture of who God is. It tells us that He is the sovereign master of His power — great and omnipotent — yet He does not display His power through anger, punishment, or condemnation. Instead, He shows His power through mercy and patience. God judges with clemency, and with great leniency, He governs us. God is tolerant and merciful. Dear friends, this is the nature of our God; this is why He has not destroyed all our enemies. As the prophet Ezekiel says, God does not desire the death of the wicked, but that they repent and be saved.

The Gospel reading gives us a dramatic illustration of this divine nature. Through the parable of the wheat and the weeds, Jesus explains why evil coexists with good in the world and how we should treat those who do evil around us. The weeds represent those who abuse us, those who treat us unjustly, those who oppose the Church and her teachings, those who stand against truth, love, peace, and goodness. But how do we treat such people? Do we ask God to destroy them? Do we destroy them ourselves? Jesus says the answer is no.

Jesus calls us to be patient with our brothers and sisters, husbands and wives who hurt us, those who oppress us, those who disagree with us — just as God is patient with them and patient with us in our own sins. By God’s grace, and through our prayers and good example, Jesus hopes that they will be converted and saved. He wants us to convert them through our witness. The good examples we show — however small — may one day grow in their hearts like the mustard seed.

Jesus also teaches us not to be discouraged by the presence of enemies in the Church, in our families, or in society. God allows them to live so that they may repent of their evil ways. We must understand, however, that the triumph and prosperity of the wicked are short-lived, whereas the reward of the Christian who suffers because of their wickedness is everlasting.

Dearest friends, Jesus also speaks about the fate of those who refuse to change. In the parable, He says there will be a time of gathering the wheat, followed by a separation — the wheat from the weeds that refused to become wheat — and then the weeds will be thrown into the fire. This means that those who refuse to make good use of the grace given to them will not escape God’s punishment. Therefore, Jesus warns us not to take God’s patience, tolerance, and mercy for granted.

Finally, the two other parables in today’s Gospel — the mustard seed and the yeast — encourage us not to give up on the seeds of God’s kingdom that we have been planting in the hearts of others through our good actions and examples. Our small acts of goodness may seem insignificant, like the mustard seed, but they will one day grow into something great. Likewise, our good example towards those who treat us badly may appear fruitless, but if we remain patient — like a baker waiting for his dough to rise — we will surely see the results.

Let us pray in today’s Holy Mass for the gift of patience: that we may be patient with ourselves, with God, and with others. Let us also ask God to help us to be loving and merciful, and to understand His true nature.

Peace be with you.

Rev. Fr. Isaac Chima