GOSPEL
Jesus put another parable before the crowds: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everybody was asleep his enemy came, sowed darnel all among the wheat, and made off. When the new wheat sprouted and ripened, the darnel appeared as well. The owner’s servants went to him and said, “Sir, was it not good seed that you sowed in your field? If so, where does the darnel come from?” “Some enemy has done this” he answered. And the servants said, “Do you want us to go and weed it out?” But he said, “No, because when you weed out the darnel you might pull up the wheat with it. Let them both grow till the harvest; and at harvest time I shall say to the reapers: First collect the darnel and tie it in bundles to be burnt, then gather the wheat into my barn.”’
In trying to correct and change something I dislike in the other person, I might end up hurting them or pushing them to rebel and bring out something even worse. Too much correction without charity, where I’m only trying to get rid of what bothers me, is what we call “weeding.”
We all have wheat and weeds within us, but our task is to collaborate with the Kingdom of Love to nurture what is good and beautiful in ourselves and in others. This is only possible if done with love, focusing on the good, on the wheat, and not on the weeds. We must accept it with absolute trust in the Lord, knowing that He is preparing us and that those weeds can help bring about a greater good and help us grow in virtue. As spouses, let us remain steadfast in the pain caused by our own weeds and those of our partner, waiting for God’s intervention. He will step in when He deems it the right moment, the great moment!
Here I am, Lord, waiting for the action of the Holy Spirit, who will draw me fully into Your Most Sacred Heart, making us one in You forever.
Applied to Married Life:
Anne: (Feels sad and only sees Charles’s anger.)
Charles: (Still angry) You’re so selfish, always thinking only of yourself and what suits you at the moment. You know I hate waiting through those endless goodbyes. Have you ever thought about me?
Anne: (Begins to feel anger towards Charles) How can you say I only think of myself? It’s unfair for you to say that when I’m the one who always checks in with you about when you’re coming. You’re the unbearable selfish one…
(But God is merciful and took pity on them. Charles realised that the problem wasn’t Anne, but his own inability to love her in those situations. He decided to expand his heart, even if it hurt, because it was the way to grow in love. He started to work on it with God’s help. Gradually, it bothered him less until it didn’t bother him at all, and he was able to enjoy seeing his wife enjoy herself. This allowed Anne to learn to grow in love and she began to do so in these and other circumstances, and both were able to love each other with their wheat and their weeds.)
Mother,
Change our hearts, Mother, and give us a bigger heart so we can love each other in every situation, until we see God in our spouse. Amen.