Fresh Dew Media

 16^TH SUNDAY, YEAR A: REFLECTION BY FR, JULIAN EKEH

TOPIC: WHILE MEN WERE SLEEPING

(Matthew 13:24-43)

Jesus gives us another parable today, comparing the kingdom of God to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while men were sleeping, his enemies sowed weeds. But the man told the servants to allow the two seeds to grow together.

The enemy takes advantage of the good. Evil likes to draw close to goodness. The angel of darkness tries to appear as the angel of light. He comes to wear the garb of goodness to mix itself with the things we revere and hold sacred in order to look good and acceptable. He begs for attention and strikes when given any opportunity. They target the times they will never be suspected. They come to plant their evil seeds among the good seeds.

The evil one waits for you to sleep. While men sleep, they plan their evil, execute it, announce it, and celebrate it. But sleep is natural, it is important, it is healthy. The body needs it. But being asleep spiritually is dangerous.  It has to do with being unaware of the spiritual oppressions around you.

 

WHY WILL THE ENEMY CHOSE THE MOMENT OF SLEEP?

The enemy prefers the times of sleep so that by the time one wakes up with after-sleep dizziness, he accepts the seed he has sown as normal.

Think of the many abominations that just sprouted out from nowhere and became accepted as norms. Think of the evil leaders that we wake up to see ruling over us mysteriously and wickedly without our consent. Think of the sudden negative changes husbands and wives who once loved each other notice from nowhere in their marriage. Think of the rapid change of behaviour in that your son or daughter who was a definition of goodness before. What happened along the line?

Consider the sharp shift from friendship to enmity.  Think of the mornings we wake to see evil trending and being celebrated in social media as nothing.

The servants who made the observation of the weed growing among the good seeds asked the householder how these were done. The householder replied: An enemy has done this.

Beware of the things the enemy is doing or trying to do in your life. In Igbo "Catechism nke abuo" of Owerri Archdiocese, the question goes: What are the evils the devil can do? (He destroys and leads to sin).

Beware and be aware! Do not fall into that spiritual slumber. Do not allow that evil practice in you become a habit.  Listen to the word of God on the best way to live with the daily growing evils in our world today.

 

THE WAY OUT

Most of us are constantly worried about the uprising of evil in different shapes and forms in our world today. We are troubled about how evil men seem to be prospering. We are frustrated by broad day robbery of truth, denial of justice and corruption. The leadership of the best by the worst gives us serious discomfort. The reign of the wicked over the good men dampens our spirits.

We call for an immediate arrest of the situation as a way out. Like the servants in today's parable, we wish to suggest to God to blow the trumpet and start judgement. For some, it is sign of end times. Others call God names. Some others ask God questions like: God, why are you like this? Why are you allowing evil to grow with the good seeds you have planted? Some lose their faith.  Some say: religion is a scam. Some call Christianity a religion of the weak.

God's ways are not our ways. Our approach to solving problems differ from God's ways of handling them. God does not want to lose the good with the bad. He says, let them grow together until the harvest. He gives the bad enough time to be influenced by the Good. He trusts the good seed and believes it not to disappoint. Thus, spiritual growth is the way out.

'Let them grow together' means that God knows the stuff we are made of. We are too good to be rubbished. We have what it takes to overcome and overthrow the enemy.

'Let them grow together' can suggest growing in different directions.  If the bad seed refuses to grow into goodness, then the good seed should not stop growing. While the bad seed grows in vices, let the good seed continue growing in virtues. Let it grow and suffocate, overshadow and dethrone the evil seed. Let good politicians shine brighter than evil politicians. Let good lawmakers outgrow their evil counterparts.  Let good Christians outnumber bad ones. Let good wives and husbands be more than bad ones. Let evil be silenced by good.

'Grow together' implies: Do not be intimidated by them. 'I have conquered the world.'

It is a call to keep on pushing with the right strategies, pressing the right buttons, avoiding compromises in order to win the battles of life.

Let us therefore be encouraged in our various experiences in the world. The troubles and forces here and there may not be taken away totally. Instead of pulling us down let them challenge us to be the best of our kind. Jesus knew all these when in John 17:15 He prayed: "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one."

Be patient dearest in Christ.  Judgement must come at the end. At that time, evil will be stripped of its deceptive garments that made it appear good. Only good will be called good. And only those who remained above the corruptions and immoralities of the world, who washed away the influences they got from the evil one, will inherit the kingdom of God.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

LET US PRAY

Thank You, Lord, for the seed of Your word in our hearts today. Help us to be spiritually aware of the growing evil trends in the world. By Your grace, may we continue to grow in virtues and become true agents of positive change wherever we find ourselves through Christ our Lord.  Amen

Happy Sunday to you (16th Sunday, Ordinary Time, Yr A)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh