Some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” He said to them in reply, “An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and there is something greater than Jonah here. At the judgment the queen of the south will arise with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater than Solomon here.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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During the French Revolution, a group of Christians were thrown into a dungeon where they dwelt in near total darkness.
For a brief moment each day, the sun rose to a certain angle, allowing a ray of light to penetrate their cell. As the light came in, one of the prisoners was hoisted onto another’s shoulders, where he opened his bible and proclaimed what he read.
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I wonder what verses they heard.
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Here are a few possibilities:
“For I know well the plans I have for you, says the Lord.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
“Come to me all you who are heavy burdened and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
“Whoever hears my word and believes in him who sent me has eternal life.” (John 5:24)
“This is my Body…this is my Blood…do this in memory of me.” (Luke 22:19)
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At the darkest moment of their lives, these Christians heard the Word of God, and believed.
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In today’s Gospel, Jesus condemns the scribes and Pharisees for their hardened hearts. They’ve seen him heal people and cast out demons. They’ve heard him preach. But it’s not enough. They still won’t believe; they want more and more signs.
“But no [other] sign will be given it, except Jonah the prophet,” he says. Meaning, what Jesus has already said and done is enough. They should repent and believe in the Gospel.
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At times we’re all tempted to want more proof from God. But the words he’s spoken, and the countless prayers he’s already answered, should be enough to assure us that God is alive … and in touch.
Like those Christians huddled in a dungeon during the French Revolution, may we hear the Word of God and receive it for what it is: “A lamp for our feet, a light for our path” (Psalm 119).
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Image credits: (1) Woman’s Day (2) Christianity (3) Thrive
Jesus proposed another parable to the crowds, saying: “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off. When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well. The slaves of the householder came to him and said, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where have the weeds come from?’ He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest; then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn.”‘”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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Rome, often referred to as the Eternal City, is a place filled with history, art, and intrigue. It captures the Catholic imagination in a way that almost no other city does.
Perhaps no place does this better than the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel.
It’s been the subject of conspiracy novels; the site where popes are elected in secrecy; where tourists squeeze together – twisting, turning, staring up in awe at the marvelous frescoes, the most famous being Michelangelo’s Divine Judgment.
It’s a massive mural of over 45 square feet covering the entire back wall of the chapel, depicting the final battle between good and evil.
Angels rescue souls, lifting them up into heaven, while demons drag others down into the eternal fire. It’s a harrowing scene drawing its inspiration from today’s Gospel.
“Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire,” Jesus says, “so will it be at the end of the age.”
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Located near the center of the fresco is the face of Michelangelo himself.
Nearly slipping out of his skin, Michelangelo is being held up by an angel as he dangles between heaven and hell – giving the impression that his soul is being weighed in a balance.
Michelangelo reminds himself – and the viewer – that he, too, is an imperfect believer.
His soul is filled with a combination of weeds and wheat; sin and grace; doubt and faith. God alone is his judge. God alone can save him.
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Like Michelangelo, aren’t we all a combination of weeds and wheat; sin and grace; doubt and faith?
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There are parts of us that are undeniably good. The faith, hope, and love present in this community is inspiring. Some days, it feels like we’re writing a story together on parish renewal – how to energize a Catholic community in 21stcentury America.
And yet none of us is perfect… At least I’m not!
Like Michelangelo, at times I see things within myself – weeds – which the Lord desires to uproot. By “weeds” I mean thoughts, feelings, or actions that prevent me from growing closer to Jesus and to my neighbor.
Where do these weeds come from? How do they show up?
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The Gospel tells us that these weeds are sown by the Evil One while are “asleep.”
In the bible, being “asleep” is often used as a metaphor for letting your guard down. When we are not careful about what we see, what we participate in, who or what we allow to influence us, then the weeds creep in.
Why don’t we uproot them right away? What makes it so difficult to stop their growth?
Initially, weeds and wheat look similar. If a farmer tries weeding his field too soon, then he may also uproot wheat in the process.
It’s a good image for how evil seeps into our lives; often it masquerades as something good. Only after we tolerate its growth, do we see just how damaging it is.
Think about teenagers. Sometimes they’ll do things to fit in with their peers – things like gaming, drinking, or drugs.
Suddenly, an action becomes a habit and that habit takes over their life. What seemed like a good idea was really a weed, a seed planted while their guard was down, while they were “asleep.”
The same idea can be true with our own thoughts, feelings, actions, and even the people who we let into our lives.
What are some of the weeds present in my life? When do I let my guard down and fall “asleep”?
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The good news is God is patient with us. He withholds his judgment until the end, allowing sufficient time for conversion and growth.
This means that we should not only be patient with ourselves, but also with others, because Jesus never gave his Church the power to curse or to condemn; only to forgive and to bless.
Can I think of a person whom God is inviting me to pray for? Someone who seems to have more weeds than wheat within?
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Rome is a city filled with intrigue.
Perhaps no place grabs the Catholic imagination better than Michelangelo’s epic painting of the Divine Judgment in the Sistine Chapel because it captures the essence of the human story.
We’re often a combination of weeds and wheat; sin and grace; doubt and faith. We oscillate between the things of heaven and earth. We need God to save us.
May the Holy Spirit, “who comes to the aid of our weakness,” intercede for us, even today.
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(1) The Divine Judgment, Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo, Wikipedia (2) Ibid. (3) St. Bartholomew (detail), Michelangelo, Last Judgment, Sistine Chapel, fresco, 1534–41 (Vatican City, Rome; photo: Alonso de Mendoza) (4) Kdmanestreet, WordPress
Jesus was going through a field of grain on the sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “See, your disciples are doing what is unlawful to do on the sabbath.” He said to the them, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry, how he went into the house of God and ate the bread of offering, which neither he nor his companions but only the priests could lawfully eat? Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath the priests serving in the temple violate the sabbath and are innocent? I say to you, something greater than the temple is here. If you knew what this meant, I desire mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned these innocent men. For the Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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Some say America’s legal system has a few backward laws that need to be changed – in particular, laws that restrict work and commerce on Sundays.
For example, in New Jersey it’s illegal to purchase a car on Sunday. In Massachusetts, it’s illegal to hunt. In many states, it’s illegal to purchase alcohol before noon.
These laws are known as “blue laws,” which were intended to protect the Sabbath, allowing Americans to rest and to worship on Sundays.
These days, only one-third of Americans find themselves in a church pew. Others are too busy attending sports games, running errands, cleaning the house, or working themselves to death.
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Still, these “blue laws” remind us of the importance of rest, and above all, of worship.
This is why the Pharisees are angry in today’s Gospel. They interpret the disciples’ actions of pulling grain as contrary to the Sabbath – much like violating a “blue law.”
On the Sabbath, people are only allowed to rest and to worship.
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Perhaps there’s still a word in that for us today.
Many of us lead busy lives – so busy that we can neglect our time with the Lord.
It’s why I post my “God minute” daily; not only remind myself to pray, but also to encourage others to do the same.
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While “blue laws” may go out of style, our need to rest and worship never will.
So, when the sun rises on Sunday morning, where will you be?
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Image credits: (1) Redeeming God (2) The New Yorker (3) Rev’s Random Ramblings
