Speaking in Parables
Sixteenth Sunday - Year A
Wisdom 12:13, 16-19v; Psalm 86; Romans 8: 26-27; Matthew 13: 24-43 (Matthew 13: 24-30)
St. Faustina once asked Jesus why He did not immediately punish sins and crimes, and His response was, "I have eternity for punishing, and so I am prolonging the time of mercy for the sake of sinners. But woe to them if they do not recognize this time of My visitation" (Diary, 1160). This message is also reflected in the parable of the weeds, where God governs with great lenience, giving sinners hope for repentance (Wis. 12:18-19; Matt. 13:29-30). However, the day of justice will eventually come after the time of mercy (Matt. 13:40; Diary, 848).
Only Jesus Christ can reveal what has been hidden since the foundation of the world (Matt. 13:35). He is the Wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24), the Word of God through whom all things were made (John 1:3), and the one through whom God founded the earth (Prov. 3:19). The hidden mysteries include the Gospel, the mystery of Christ, and even our election to be holy and blameless before God (1 Cor. 2:7; 1 Pet. 1:20; Eph. 1:4).
Jesus often used parables to unveil heavenly truths through earthly examples. Parables can vary in length, ranging from longer ones like the parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14-30) to shorter ones like the parable of the lost coin (Luke 15:8-9). In today's Gospel, the parables transition from a longer one, the weeds (Matt. 13:24-30), to a shorter one, the mustard seed (Matt. 13:31-32), and finally to the shortest one, the yeast (Matt. 13:33). As we grow in understanding the divine mystery, fewer words are needed to explain it.
Jesus, as the only begotten God (John 1:18), is the owner of the world, while the devil is a rebellious creature who lacks the power to establish his evil kingdom. Jesus sowed good seeds, representing His work, but the enemy tries to spoil it by sowing weeds of evil (Matt. 13:24,37-39). Evil is like a parasite that feeds on what is good (St. Augustine). The reason the Son of Man does not immediately punish evil is that He is concerned with preserving the wheat (Matt. 13:29). In each of us, "the weeds of sin" are "mixed with the good wheat of the Gospel" (CCC, 827). God, who cares for everyone (Wis. 12:13), grants sinners time to repent and repentant sinners time to grow into saints (CCC, 827).
The revelations given by the Blessed Virgin Mary in La Salette, Lourdes, and Fatima were bestowed upon small children, and St. Faustina herself did not possess extensive education (1 Cor. 1:25-29). The symbolism of the tiny mustard seed growing into a large tree reaching four meters high reflects the small beginnings of God's Kingdom, which will ultimately encompass the entire world. Jesus, the Savior of the world, was born in a humble manger rather than a palace, grew up in Nazareth instead of prestigious capitals, and His death on the cross may have appeared to nullify His work. Nevertheless, the seed of His life sown into the world has flourished into a vast tree—the Church—where the nations find their dwelling.
The image of a woman mixing leaven in three measures of flour brings to mind Sarah, who similarly welcomed God Himself (Gen. 18:6). As the dough is prepared for bread, our thoughts are directed toward Wisdom, inviting us to partake in her 'eucharistic banquet': "Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed" (Prov. 9:5). The yeast hidden in the flour signifies the Holy Spirit, whom God has breathed into us and who progressively transforms us into disciples of Jesus, leading us to holiness (Rom. 8:27).
Jesus proclaims the mysteries of God's Kingdom in parables. How do we proclaim the mystery of Christ?