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Matthew 13: 36-43
Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house.
His disciples approached him and said,
“Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
He said in reply, “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man,
the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom.
The weeds are the children of the Evil One,
and the enemy who sows them is the Devil.
The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire,
so will it be at the end of the age.
The Son of Man will send his angels,
and they will collect out of his Kingdom
all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.
They will throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun
in the Kingdom of their Father.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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The Sistine Chapel is one of the most iconic works of art ever created. Strewn across the wall where the altar stands is a depiction of the final judgment.
Angels and demons fight for the souls of the just, while the evil ones are pulled down into the netherworld. It’s a jarring but beautiful piece, drawing its inspiration from today’s Gospel.
“Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire,” Jesus says, “so it will be at the end of the age.”
Michelangelo reminds us that everyone must stand before the judgment seat of God. But why does God wait until the end of our lives to judge us?
Or, using the imagery from today’s Gospel, why must the weeds co-exist with the wheat?
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When they first sprout, weeds and wheat look quite similar.
Any seasoned farmer knows that it’s best to wait until the weeds and wheat become fully mature before separating them; otherwise, one may be mistaken for the other.
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In a similar way, Jesus waits until the end of our lives to judge what we’ve become, either a weed or wheat.
It’s his prayer that everyone turns out to be wheat.
Shouldn’t we pray for the same?
Doing so means three things:
First, that we are patient with ourselves; faith is a life-long journey. Secondly, that we’re patient with others. And, third, that we withhold our judgment of others, never seeing another person as incapable of change.
Rather, like Jesus, we do everything we can to reveal the goodness of God.
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Perhaps this is where Michelangelo’s famous fresco may part from God’s divine plan. Instead of throwing weeds into the fire, hopefully everyone becomes wheat, making it safely home.
God’s grace certainly allows for it.
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Image credits: (1) Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo (2) Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo (3) Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo