I often think of bloodlines, in connection with wheat and the tares. In this hour evil and good are coming to full stature, and has been brewing for hundreds of years. Adoption is such a grace from God, for what the child brings to the family or what the family brings to the child that was not there by blood. The same goes for those who enter families by marriage. It seems God plants his intercessors where they are sorely needed.
There is a blog by Fr. Longenecker that is quite good. In it he explains in further depth the meaning of the wheat and tares. It is short but very worth the read. Here is the link. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/standingonmyhead/2014/07/wheat-and-tares.html
I think the Holy Father's angelus yesterday on this Gospel we have been talking about is enlightening. http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/pope-s-angelus-address-for-july-20th
I went to a different parish this past weekend with my Aunt, and the Priest there gave a sermon that I thought was confusing. He kind of put it in that "do not judge" thingy...that God is also looking out for the weeds and they are no different than us and should be allowed and welcomed into Mass. I was half expecting him to start praising Gay marriage! Um no, that is NOT what the scripture said. God was concerned for the wheat is what He said, and it's true that you can damage the wheat's roots by pulling up weeds too close to them. Did some of that myself in the garden this weekend! God does love all, and the rain and the sunshine falls on all, wheat and weeds. All peoples, good and evil are blessed with rain and sunshine, ....until their time is up. Then the weeds will be thrown into the fire. I believe that this passage means to accept and teach our children that although the "weeds" are always among us, we need to go on with our lives in a Godly way, pray for our enemies as God said, and worship God and be holy even amongst the weeds. NOT to tell weeds "you're ok, I'm ok, God loves us all" kind of thing. They are NOT ok, and if they don't change their lives, they will spend eternity in the fire. It is not love to smile and wave them off to the fire. It is love to warn them that their soul is in danger, treat them with respect and kindness, and if they spit on the gospel, to shake the dust off our feet and move on. NOT to invite them and their sinful lives into the Church. But if they repent than not only should we invite them to Church, but kill the fatted calf and throw a joyful party for them because they have repented and come home!
I think Carmel a lot of people are uncomfortable wtih the idea of hell as they can not see how it fits in with the idea of love. I suspect this is because their idea of love is itslef faulty. I read somewhere thaat in fact hell is metnioned much more often in the NEw Testament than it is in the old. Loving is giving , rather than a cosy warm feeling.I cannot believe than anyone understands anything of the Mystery of love if they do not see the consequences of not loving.
While it is fairly easy to give a homily on the wheat and the weeds, I wonder how many, if any, priests dwelt on the lines in the Gospel that spoke about the 'end of the age' being now or that we are living in this period as we speak according to our Blessed Mother, Popes and modern day prophets. That would have made an interesting homily.
Most priests who preached such a Gospel woudl risk ending up preaching to the Eskimos in SIberia. At least here in Ireland. The Bishops would not put up with it.
