The first reading from the book of Wisdom praises God for his care of all peoples and for judging all things justly. God shows his strength when people doubt the completeness of his power and his wise judgements. God could act instantly if he wanted all peoples to act according to his will alone. But God is patient and merciful and gives mankind the freedom to make mistakes and to undo the damage done. With forbearance he leads us and governs us. We thank God that he is not like us!
Patience does it
Wilma Rudolph was the 20th of 22 children. She was born prematurely and her survival was doubtful. When she was four years old, she contracted double pneumonia and scarlet fever, which left her with a paralyzed left leg. At age 9, she removed the metal leg brace she had been dependent on and began to walk without it. By 13 she had developed a rhythmic walk, which doctors said was a miracle. That same year she decided to become a runner. She entered a race and came last. For the next few years every race she entered, she came in last. Everyone told her to quit, but she kept on running. One day she actually won a race. And then another. From then on she won every race she entered. Eventually this little girl, who was told she would never walk again, went to win three Olympic gold medals.
Jack Canfield in ‘A 2nd. Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul’
In today’s Gospel Jesus speaks to the crowds in parables. Jesus is speaking about an issue that confronts us: Why is there good and evil in this world? Why does God permit evil? Nature itself provides many metaphors for the kingdom of God. In the first parable the farmer does not weed his field because that might also damage the good plants. Similarly, faith communities are made up of imperfect individuals at various stages of spiritual growth. God does not ‘prune’ the community of believers but waits patiently for individuals to change and let the goodness in them bloom forth. Like the farmer, God knows that things are not always what they first appear to be. God is patient, allowing us time to mature and reveal our truer selves. Given time we might turn out to be something very good. It is hard to trust the slow work of God. Perhaps when we grow frustrated with the world and wonder why God doesn’t seem to be acting, we can reflect on his patience with us. If we do that we might be able to cooperate more deeply in the slow work of God that will make all things right in God’s own time. The parable of the mustard seed and the leaven shows that something quite small can have a very large effect. Our God, while doing great and magnificent things, is also the God of small things! Some of the greatest saints had humble beginnings and spent their lives doing ‘little’ things. The kingdom of God is really like a mustard seed or a pinch of yeast.
What makes you what you are
Stephen Grant, a research scientist who had made several medical breakthroughs was being interviewed and asked: What set him so far apart from others? He responded that in his opinion, it all came from an experience with his mother that occurred when he was two years old. He had been trying to remove a bottle of milk from the refrigerator when he lost his grip on the slippery bottle and it fell, spilling its contents all over the kitchen floor. When his mother came into the kitchen, instead of yelling at him, she said, “Robert, what a great and wonderful mess you have made! I have rarely seen such a huge puddle of milk. Well, the damage has already been done. Would you like to get down and play in the milk for a few minutes before we clean it up?” Indeed he did. After a few minutes, his mother said, “You know, Robert, whenever you make a mess like this, you have to clean it up and restore everything to its proper order. So how would you like to do that? He chose the sponge and together they cleaned up the spilled milk. His mother then said, “You know, what we have here is a failed experiment in how to effectively carry a big milk bottle with two tiny hands. Let’s go in the back yard and discover a way to carry it without dropping it. The little boy learned that if he grasped the bottle at the top near the lip with both hands, he could carry it without dropping it. What a wonderful lesson! The renowned scientist then remarked that it was at that moment that he knew he didn’t need to be afraid to make mistakes. Instead, he learned that mistakes were just opportunities for learning something new, which is after all, what scientific experiments are all about. Wouldn’t it be great if all parents would respond the way Robert’s mother responded to him?
Jack Canfield in 'A 2nd Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul'
The Window
There were once two men, both seriously ill, in the same small room of a great hospital. Quite a small room, it had one window looking out on the world. One of the men as part of his treatment was allowed to sit in bed for an hour in the afternoon. His bed was next to the window. But the other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. Every afternoon when the man next to the window was propped up for his hour, he would pass the time by describing what he could see outside. The window apparently overlooked a park where there was a lake. There were ducks and swans in the lake, and children came to throw them bread and sail model boats. Young lovers walked hand in hand beneath the trees, and there were flowers and stretches of grass, games of softball. And at the back, behind the fringe of trees was a fine view of the city skyline. The man on his back would listen to the other man describe all of this, enjoying every minute. He heard how a child nearly fell into the lake, and how beautiful the girls were in their summer dresses. His friend’s descriptions eventually made him feel he could almost see what was happening outside. Then one afternoon the thought struck him: why should the man near the window have all the pleasure of seeing what was going on? Why shouldn’t he get a chance? He wanted a change badly. One night as he stared at the ceiling, the other man suddenly woke up, coughing and choking, his hands groping for the button that would bring the nurse running. But the man watched without moving –even when the sound of the breathing stopped. In the morning the nurse found the other man dead. And quietly took his body away. As soon as it seemed decent, the man asked if he could be switched to the bed next to the window. So they moved him, tucked him in. and made him quite comfortable. The minute they left, he propped himself on one elbow, painfully and looked out of the window. It faced a blank wall.
Author Unknown
Patience
There was a monk who was very impatient. You may wonder, why would a monk be impatient? Don't they become monks so that they don't have to deal with the world? Yes, that's true. So imagine how impatient this monk was... The more he tried, the more impatient he became, so he decided that he must get away altogether to learn to be patient. So he built himself a little home deep in the woods, far away from civilization. Years later, a man was traveling in those woods and met him. The man was amazed to find anyone living so far away from the rest of the world, so he asked the monk why he was there all by himself. The monk said that he was there to learn to be patient. The traveler asked how long he had been there, and the monk replied: seven years. Stunned, the traveler asked, "If there is no one around to bother you, how will you know when you are patient?" Annoyed, the monk replied, "Get away from me, I have no time for you." Every time that I feel myself getting impatient, I picture the monk and I laugh out loud. This is yet another example of how to control our so-called "uncontrollable" emotions. By associating a funny story with an undesirable emotion, I give myself an opening - a chance to stop for a moment and look at what I'm doing. And most of the time, I realize that what's getting me all ruffled is so insignificant! I realize that it must be strange for anyone dealing with me at that point. One minute we could be arguing, and about to tear each other apart, and the next I'm laughing. I suppose I would wonder about such a person's state of mental sanity too. But think about it - what better way to break the tension? How many people get into arguments that literally break up relationships - over petty stuff! One word leads to another and before they know it, its ten years later and they have no idea of why they lost touch. If they backtrack, they realize that it all started over something so insignificant that they're too embarrassed to admit or disclose it. So, even at the risk of looking ridiculous, the next time that you are about to lose your sovereignty over your mind and your body, remember the monk! While you're laughing, explain why. The next thing you know, you'll both be laughing, and then you'll both be able to really talk and listen.Carmen Colombo
The NY Taxi driver’s story
I arrived at the address and honked the horn. After waiting a few minutes I honked again. Since this was going to be my last ride of my shift I thought about just driving away, but instead I put the car in park and walked up to the door and knocked. 'Just a minute', answered a frail, elderly voice. After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 90's stood before me. By her side was a small nylon suitcase. 'Would you carry my bag out to the car?' she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, and returned to assist the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness. 'It's nothing', I told her. 'I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother to be treated.' When we got in the cab, she gave me an address and then asked, 'Could you drive through downtown?' 'It's not the shortest way,' I answered quickly. 'Oh, I don't mind,' she said. 'I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice. I don't have any family left,' she continued in a soft voice. 'The doctor says I don't have very long.' I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. For the next two hours, we drove through the city. Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing. As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, 'I'm tired. Let's go now'. We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home. Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair. 'How much do I owe you?' She asked, reaching into her purse. 'Nothing,' I said. 'You have to make a living,' she answered. 'There are other passengers,' I responded. Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly. 'You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,' she said. 'Thank you.' I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life. I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away? On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life. We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.
Author Unknown
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From the Collection of Fr. Tony Kadavil:
1. “Your Excellency, your cabin-mate left his valuables with me for the same reason!”
A bishop was sailing for Europe on one of the great transatlantic ocean liners. When he went on board, he found that another passenger was to share a cabin with him. After unpacking his bags, he went to the purser and inquired if he could leave his gold watch and other valuables in the ship’s safe. He explained that he had just met the man who was to occupy the other berth in his cabin and he was afraid that the man might not be trustworthy. The purser smiled, accepted the valuables and remarked, “It’s all right, bishop, I’ll be very glad to take care of them for you. The other man has just been up here and left his valuables for the same reason!” Today’s gospel reminds us that we should not judge others hastily. There is a lot of good in the worst of us and a lot of evil in the best of us. In other words, the best of us are still "weeds" in God's garden.
2. Schindler's List
is a 1993 biographical film which tells the story of Oskar Schindler, a businessman, who saved the lives of more than one thousand Polish Jews during the Holocaust. The film was based on the novel Schindler's Ark by Thomas Kennelly. The film was both a box office success and the recipient of seven Academy Awards. Oskar Schindler, a successful businessman, arrives in Krakow (Poland) from Czechoslovakia hoping to use the abundant cheap labor force of the Jews to manufacture goods for the German military. Schindler, a nominal Catholic and an opportunistic member of the Nazi Party, lavishes bribes upon the army officials and Nazi leaders and acquires a factory for the production of army mess kits. But he is a mixture of good and evil. Unfaithful to his wife, he certainly knows how to enjoy the so called “good life” -cigars, drink, women. He exploits his Jewish workers as a source of cheap labor. But as he witnesses the horrors endured by the Jews, the good elements in his character wake up. So he starts saving Jews, using his immense wealth and his political influence. At great personal risk he protects his workers from the death camps, thereby showing that he is undoubtedly a courageous man with basic goodness. In today’s gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the wheat and weeds explaining how we all are a mixture of good and evil and why God tolerates evil in the world.
3. Who created the weeds?
In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth and populated the Earth with broccoli, cauliflower and spinach, green and yellow and red vegetables of all kinds, so Man and Woman would live long and healthy lives. Then using God's great gifts, Satan created Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream and Krispy Creme Donuts. Satan said, "You want chocolate with that?" And Man said, "Yes!" and Woman said, "And as long as you're at it, add some sprinkles." And they gained 10 pounds. And Satan smiled.
God then said, "I have sent you heart-healthy vegetables and olive oil in which to cook them." And Satan brought forth deep fried chicken, fish and chicken-fried steak so big it needed its own platter. And Man gained more weight and his cholesterol went through the roof.
God then created a light, fluffy white cake, named it "Angel Food Cake," and said, "It is good." Satan then created chocolate cake and named it "Devil's Food." God then brought forth running shoes so that His children might lose those extra pounds. And Satan gave them cable TV with a remote control so Man would not have to toil changing the channels. And Man and Woman laughed and cried before the flickering blue light and gained pounds.
Then God brought forth the potato, naturally low in fat and brimming with nutrition. And Satan peeled off the healthful skin and sliced the starchy center into chips and deep-fried them. And Man gained pounds. God then gave lean beef so that Man might consume fewer calories and still satisfy his appetite. And Satan created McDonald's and its 99-cent double cheeseburger. Then he asked, "You want fries with that?" And Man replied, "Yes! And super size them!" And Satan said, "It is good." And Man went into cardiac arrest. God sighed and created quadruple bypass surgery. Then Satan created HMOs.
4. "The vine that ate the South."
Kudzu was brought to the U.S. in 1876 to decorate the Japanese pavilion at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. As an exotic import, it became popular as a shade plant, and was seen as a God-given solution to the soil-erosion problem, following the Great Depression. Between 1935 and 1942, government nurseries produced 84 million kudzu seedlings, planting them wherever they would grow. By 1943, there was a Kudzu Club of America with 20,000 members and an annual "Kudzu Queen." So what's the problem? I'll tell you the problem. Kudzu is a vine with phenomenal growth. Twelve inches in 24 hours is not unusual. And 50 feet in a single growing season is well within the norm. People in the South have a saying: "If you're gonna plant kudzu, drop it and run." Which explains why some have called it "the vine that ate the South." It can cover anything and choke everything. It can twine itself around fruit trees until it kills the entire orchard.. Which is why the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) eventually demoted kudzu to "weed status" ... with the definition of a weed being "any plant that does more harm than good." The weeds in Matthew's little parable are "darnel." Botanists call them "lolium termulentum." They are members of the wheat family which look like wheat and hide out in wheat-fields, producing poisonous seeds. Darnel is the villain in today’s gospel story of the wheat and the weeds.
5. Weeds in history:
Prior to and during World War II, Jewish persons in Europe were told by the Nazis that if they boarded the trains provided for them, they would be resettled in comfortable, peaceful areas. But the truth was that the trains were headed for Auschwitz and other death camps. Some Jews who knew the truth tried to warn the others, but the majority hushed them up, saying, "That's ridiculous. If you talk like that, you will terrorize people." Today many Christians are being herded aboard another train of false promises called universalism. It is the belief that all persons are bound for heaven whether they wish it or not. Scriptural verses contradicting this false belief are discarded as spurious additions by early churchmen with hearts full of judgment. But real love does not tell people what they want to hear; real love tells the truth. It does not pretend that a train to Auschwitz is a train to triumph. The recent trial of former Nazi officer Klaus Barbie brings to our consciousness the barbarity of that page in human history. The most infamous of the Nazi death camps was the one at Dachau. A monument there memorializes the victims of the Nazi terror. Alongside, a series of exhibits depict Nazi methods of annihilating the Jews, the wretched detention camps, the extermination ovens, the mass graves. A huge sign proclaims in French, German, Russian and English: "Never Again!" We need to be reminded of Dachau. We need to keep thundering in every generation, "Never Again!" Evil within the hearts of men and women: the hatred, bigotry, envy, bitterness, lust, anger, greed, etc. result in more terrible events than Jewish extermination by Hitler.
6. Weeds of pornography and obscenity:
Obscenity, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. With words to that effect more than two decades ago the Supreme Court of the United States of America left the decisions regarding pornography in the hands of local communities. During the intervening years states and cities have struggled with the issue, desiring to uphold the basic rights of freedom of speech and expression, and at the same time attempting to establish and maintain what is decent and acceptable to the majority. The latest entry to invade this debate and garner headlines is music. Now, it seems, obscenity may also be in the ear of the beholder. But the issue goes much deeper than "X-ratings" and warning labels on album covers or motion picture posters. If anything, it is symptomatic of a more pervasive problem than simply pornography in theatres or music. So, then, what do we do about the presence of the various expressions of evil in our world – what Jesus would call weeds? Whether it takes the form of dehumanizing depictions of sexual violence on the screen, of suggestive lyrics, of environmental pollution, or of the tragedies of greed and self-serving possessiveness, the presence of evil rears its head seemingly at every turn. So what are we to do? The weeds comprise all that is contrary to the spirit and work of Christ, of what is good and decent and upright -- in our eyes and to our ears! What are we going to do about them? Can we do anything at all? Historically, the church has attempted to be a weed-puller, zealously trying to eliminate all that is perceived as rotten and wrong in society. The world has, unfortunately, had to face the onslaught of the wrath of well-meaning Christians. It has endured the violence of the Crusades of the Middle Ages and the Salem witch hunts in colonial America. The church has conspired to commit numerous acts of violence and has violated the lives and livelihoods of countless numbers of persons in an attempt to convert sinners and purge society. In the name of pulling weeds and eliminating evil, great harm has been inflicted on humanity. At the other extreme, and just as frightening -- perhaps more so -- the church has also been quiet when someone rises to power with a message of hate for those who are different. It has remained on the sidelines while misguided ideas have taken over and wrecked lives and societies.
7. Recording angels to ascertain the weeds:
Michener, in one of his first novels, The Fires of Spring, tells about a couple who are burdened with a load of guilt from their past. They wander into a Quaker meeting. They sit with the others for what seems like hours waiting for something to happen. Finally, an elderly man stands up and speaks. He says, “The most misleading concept in religion is that of the recording angel. I cannot believe that God remembers or cares to remember a single incident of our lives. [Rather] I am the recording angel. My spirit and my body are the record. My good deeds show in me and my wrong deeds can never be hidden. My spirit either grows to fullness or declines to nothing. God has no need of recording devices. We must not think of [God] as a vengeful or shop-keeping dictograph. [God] has created a better instrument.
8. Bad choices are weeds ruining our lives:
You may have read about a 61-year -old Massachusetts grandmother who ended up in a mess of trouble sometime back. It was on the first day of her new job as a school bus driver. She took some wrong turns and made some poor decisions as to which roads to take. She got so lost that she wound up in the state of Connecticut. Because she had already picked up ten kids on her route, an all-points bulletin was issued for her on charges of kidnapping, and, since she had crossed the state line, the F.B.I. was called in. After finally locating the lady and interrogating her, the police and F.B.I. agents concluded that she had made some wrong turns and had simply lost her way. So they released her. (http://www.firstpcavillarica.org/Sermon%20Notes/THE%20LAMP%20WITHI N.htm). A few wrong turns. It happens in life. It happens to good people. A few bad judgments and suddenly you are lost, entangled, trapped in the weeds, a golfer might say. Sometimes much is at stake. A marriage. Your health. The safety of others. Pulling weeds is an important part of a successful life.
9. Good folks sometimes do stupid things:
Fans of country music revere the name of George Jones. Jones has had enough hit songs on his hundred or so albums to make the careers of ten singers. Sometime back, George was nearly killed in an automobile accident. He was talking on his cell phone. When the news first came out, many of his fans probably assumed that George was off the wagon again. Along with George Jones' talent and genius came a dark side. Jones had a reputation for wild living and self-destructive behavior. In the past he had struggled with a serious addiction to alcohol and drugs. His addictions were so severe that Jones would literally do anything to fuel his habit. At one time, George was almost outwitted by his then-wife, Tammy Wynette. To keep him away from the local bar, Tammy took George's car keys. But George's determination to feed his addiction won out. He hopped on his riding lawn mower and rode ten miles to the nearest bar. [Randy Scott, Country Music Revealed (New York: MetroBooks, 1995), p. 60.] Why otherwise good people allow themselves to get trapped in self-destructive patterns of behavior is beyond our understanding. And where does such behavior come from? Can we get off the hook by saying, "The devil made me do it?" Is it genetic?
10. Weeds among dogs:
An instructor in a dog training workshop in Salt Lake City noted that a dog's disposition can be tested by the owner. If the owner will fall down and pretend to be hurt, a dog with a bad temper will tend to bite him. But a good dog will show concern and may lick the fallen owner's face. Susan Matice attended the class and then decided to test her two dogs. While eating pizza in her living room, she stood up, clutched her heart, screamed and fell to the floor. Her two dogs looked at her, looked at each other, then raced to the coffee table for her pizza. (Associated Press (1-17-91). Cited in Edward K. Rowell, Humor for Preaching and Teaching (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1996).
11. What is it that causes some people to act irresponsibly?
Just a few short years ago, we had a President of the United States who was guilty of irresponsible behavior. He was not the first President to behave badly, just the most recent. But somewhere along the way, the American people made a decision that President Bill Clinton was not an evil man. Most people believed him to have a good heart, but even his most rabid fans have to agree he has a serious problem that he does not seem able to control. What causes some good people to lose control of their lives? Even more important, how can we help these people and even help ourselves when we are drawn toward similar self-destructive patterns?
12. Weed control: Journalist
Bob Garfield specializes in reporting on the quirky and unique aspects of human nature. When Garfield traveled through Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 1992, he thought that he'd hit the mother lode of quirkiness. He met people from all walks of life who were trying to find healing or wholeness through such things as aura-balancing, drum-beating ceremonies, ancient mystical therapies, crystals, astrology, spiritual channeling, and the like. Even in a Santa Fe health food store, Garfield found some highly unusual approaches to medicine. Rather than containing the average mix of vitamins and herbs, this store offered vitamin and herb mixes called, "Luminous Spirit, Positive Attitude, Women's Courage, Emotional Rescue, Clearing Hate, Clearing Greed, Humiliation, (and) Children of Divorce. . . ." [Bob Garfield, Wake Up Screaming from the American . . . (New York: Scribner's, 1997), p. 94] If only we could find emotional rescue or spiritual growth in a pill! But it's not that easy. Where do we turn for help?
13. Positive view enables us to make positive choices:
Former President Jimmy Carter often reflects on the changes he sees in people's lives because of the work of Habitat for Humanity. "We see extraordinary commitments and lives changed among forgotten people," he says. "A Habitat family that lived near Washington had been living in an abandoned automobile. One of their children was an eight-year-old boy. He was very excited about getting a new house. When the family was chosen, he jumped up and down and said, 'We won, we won.' After the home was finished and the family had moved in, the little boy attended a different school. He had always been in a slow learners class, but when he moved his records had been lost and he was put into a regular class by mistake. No one noticed the error, and at the end of the first half of the year, his lowest grade was a B. Now he is still learning with the smartest of students. This is what having a decent home for the first time in life can do." (From the book Living Faith, by Jimmy Carter, Random House Audio Books 1996.) Now, you tell me. Was it the change of houses that made a difference or did the boy change his view of himself? How we view ourselves is often reflected in the choices we make. If we have a positive view of ourselves, we will make positive choices. If we have a negative view of ourselves, then watch out!
14. Christian cruelty of searching for weeds:
The English author, C. S. Lewis, in one of his books, points out that when people become Christians, if they are not careful, their sinning often shifts from the overt, outward, visible sins of lying, cheating, stealing, cursing and swearing, to the more inward, hidden, non- apparent, invisible ones ... and among them he lists "a critical spirit" ... a spirit of judgmentalism, a censorious attitude. In fact, he points out that this sin is one of transgression which is more commonly committed by church people than by those who are not. So prevalent is it in churchly circles, that it is sometimes labeled "Christian cruelty." This squares with Webster's definition: "Judging is to criticize or censure, to think or suppose ... by pretending to know the motives of the person doing the acting." The sin of judging is dangerous business and should be carefully avoided by those who wish to prevent this sin from becoming part and parcel of their lives. A pastor, in a teetotaling denomination in a small Illinois town, was seen leaving a tavern at 12:45 a.m. "He was with another man, and both were drunk," swore the informant. When confronted with the accusation, the pastor readily admitted that he had left the tavern with another man at that late hour, but it was not like it seemed. He, at the request of a distraught wife, had entered the place to persuade the husband, who was squandering his pay check, to go home. His efforts met with success at precisely
12:45 in the morning at which time they both left the tavern. The pastor had not been imbibing. He stumbled while trying to hold the inebriated husband upright. But the story with all its lurid implications would not die. It grew and spread out of all proportion in that small town. The pastor’s bishop upbraided him for what the bishop considered an indiscretion, and finally the priest was transferred from his parish. This exemplifies the "Christian cruelty" which is frequently practiced.
15. Seeds for sale:
A woman dreamed one night that she walked into a brand new shop. Much to her surprise, she found God working behind the counter. She asked God, "What do you sell here?" "Everything your heart desires," God replied. It was incredible. She was talking face to face with God. "I want peace of mind and love and happiness and wisdom and freedom from fear," she told God. Then almost as an afterthought she added, "not just for me, but for everyone on earth." God smiled, "I think you've got me wrong, my dear. We don't sell fruits here. Only seeds." (Anthony De Mello, S. J., in “Taking Flight”)
16. Here is a weed-gatherer:
A teenage daughter asks her father, "Why don't you go to church?" He replies, "Because the church is full of hypocrites." "What do you mean by a hypocrite?" she asks. He thinks for a moment and answers, "A hypocrite says one thing and does something else." "That sounds like you, Daddy!" she replies. "I'm no hypocrite!" he responds. "Yes, you are," she says. "You tell me that going to church is important. You say that I have to go to church, but then you don't go. You say one thing and do another. Doesn't that make you a hypocrite? I wish you could go with me because there is room in the church for one more hypocrite."
17. A “self-test” for your patience.
“Imagine yourself in the following situation: It’s Saturday at 5:45p.m. You’re flying in a plane at 35,000 feet. The plane is an hour-and-a-half late. People are grumpy; some are angry. Flight attendants are apologizing and offering complimentary cocktails to soothe the raw nerves and roiled tempers. To top it all off, the meal is late and the passenger on your left has a cold and gives out a big sneeze about every ninety seconds. What would be your response to these problems?”
“Or…imagine another situation. You are at the grocery store; busy evening long lines ahead of you; your shopping cart has a wheel that drags; the fruit juice aisle is blocked off as two shoppers lean over their carts to chat; you do a u-turn and rush down another aisle; you finally finish and choose a check-out line with only two shoppers ahead of you; the cashier at the register is new; her hands tremble; beads of perspiration form on her forehead; slowly she begins to tally your total; her cash register tape runs out; she doesn’t know how to change it; she calls for help from the manager. What’s your response?”
18. “Or, how about this one:
It’s dinner-out-with-the family night in that special place. You have fasted most of the day so that you may eat what you’d like tonight. You’re shown to a table and given a menu but the restaurant is very crowded and the waiters are extremely busy. So you sit there, hungry as a wolf with only a glass of water and a menu that you’ve begun to gnaw on. What's your response?”
Swindoll in his book Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life insists that in these relatively unimportant situations, “the rubber of Christianity meets the road of proof." In other words, it is at such times that our faith is really tested. Indeed, the best test of our growth as Christians occurs in situations like the ones mentioned above. Today’s gospel reminds us of God’s patience, leniency and willingness to wait – to allow time for the wicked to come to conversion and for good people to overcome their small faults.
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From Sermons.com:
Last week we talked about planting seeds. This week we're talking about pulling weeds. The two go together. Every gardener knows that planting seeds is the easy part of having a successful garden. It is much more time consuming to weed that same garden. And it's hard work. As someone has said: "When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant."
There is a corollary to that truth: "To distinguish flowers from weeds, simply pull up everything. What grows back is weeds."
Some of you can relate to one unknown homemaker who wrote: I don't do windows because . . . I love birds and don't want one to run into a clean window and get hurt. I don't wax floors because . . . I am terrified a guest will slip and get hurt then I'll feel terrible (plus they may sue me.)I don't disturb cobwebs because . . . I want every creature to have a home of their own. I don't Spring Clean because . . . I love all the seasons and don't want the others to get jealous. I don't put things away because . . . my husband will never be able to find them again. I don't do gourmet meals when I entertain because . . . I don't want my guests to stress out over what to make when they invite me over for dinner. I don't iron because . . . I choose to believe them when they say "Permanent Press." And finally: I don't pull weeds in the garden because . . . I don't want to get in God's way, He is an excellent designer!
I doubt than anyone likes pulling weeds, including God. In today's lesson Jesus tells a parable. "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared...
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There comes a time in every child's life when he or she entertains two possibilities. One: your parents are from Mars. Two, you must have been adopted. Usually these revelations occur in tandem . . . after a huge fight with Mom and/or Dad; or after a sibling beats us up or puts us down. It dawns on us that no way could we really be related to such mean, bossy, completely opposite people.
We must be adopted.
Remember when adoption was a highly confidential, even secretive, process? That made it a great source for childhood fantasies. "Closed adoptions" were the norm from the 1920s through the 1960s. The birth mother didn't know and couldn't know who the adoptive parents were. The adoptive parents didn't know who the birth mother was. The adopted child didn't know anything - especially if their adoptive parents chose not to tell them. Even if they were adopted.
In the 1970s, the legalities behind adoptions began to change. A massive shift toward what are now called "open adoptions" took place. In open adoptions all the parties know who they are dealing with. And at least hypothetically, there is the possibility for communication and connection at some later time.
As with every other social scenario in the last ten years, science and technology have changed everything. Nobody respects a "legal screen." Nobody has to live with no information about their past. The advent of Facebook has allowed thousands of birth parents and adopted children of all ages to search for and connect with their families of origin. The birth of DNA testing enables uncertainty to be eliminated.
In fact, almost all officials in the hierarchies of state and federal adoption laws admit the same thing: "the jig is up." Adoption information and biological identities are no longer capable of being protected in any way, shape or form. For some adopted children and for some biological parents this is a great advance. For others, it is hard knocks and heartbreak.
Almost all ancient religions and cultures had legal means whereby orphaned or abandoned children could be legally incorporated into a new family. Both the law-loving environments of first century Judaism and the Roman empire had a laundry list of adoption laws, policies, rights, and regulations. Whether it was done for economic, political, or emotional reasons, in the world Paul inhabited, "adoption" was a well legislated procedure.
So when Paul used the language of "adoption" to describe the startling, new relationship enjoyed by followers of Jesus, he was speaking to an educated audience...
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Two WolvesOne of my favorite theologians, Mr. Rogers, used to say: "Have you ever noticed that the very same people who are bad sometimes are the very same people who are good sometimes?" It reminds me of a story called, "Two Wolves." It goes like this:
"An old Cherokee once told his grandson about a fight that was going on inside of him. He said it was between two wolves. One was evil: Anger, envy, greed, arrogance, self-pity, gossip, resentment, and false pride. The other was good: Joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, generosity, truth, compassion and faith. The grandson thought about it for a moment and then asked his grandfather, 'Which wolf do you think will win?' The old Cherokee replied, 'The one I feed.'" (Anonymous)
Philip W. McLarty, The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares
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Know Your Weeds
I learned more about weeds than I ever wanted to know as a boy in Iowa. Walking through the soybean feels to cut out the weeds was my summer job from age 13. A wise farmer once taught me that all weeds were not the same and could not be destroyed in the same way. A cockle burr had shallow but widespread roots and had to be pulled out to get all the roots. If you hacked it off at the ground level with a hoe it would be back in a week. A milkweed had a very long tap root that could not be pulled out. If you did try to pull it up, three separate sprouts would be back in a week. Milkweeds had to be hacked off with a hoe and would "bleed" and die as the sap ran out. If you didn't handle the weeds right, hours of backbreaking work in the sun would be completely wasted.
Jesus knew his weeds as well. The meaning of Jesus' parable about the wheat and the weeds becomes clearer when we look at the specific kind of weed he talks about. Tares are "bearded darnel, mentioned only in Matt. 13:25-30. It is the Lolium temulentum, a species of rye-grass, the seeds of which are a strong soporific poison. It bears the closest resemblance to wheat till the ear appears, and only then the difference is discovered. It grows plentifully in Syria and Palestine." The problem with taking our hoe to the evil weeds of the world is that good and evil sometimes look so much alike. It only becomes clear later.
Todd Weir, Wheat and Tares
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Better to Have Weeds than Nothing at All
I asked the people at my last church to imagine what would happen if we adopted a policy of weed-pulling, if we drew a circle around the little town of Wingate, North Carolina, and made a vow that no evil would cross that line, that no weeds would grow within that border. I said, "You know, you and I could spend the rest of our lives protecting that boundary, standing shoulder to shoulder with pitchforks and clubs, making sure that we kept drugs and alcohol and pornography and gambling safely on the other side. I think it would take all of our energy and most of our time. But what if we did it? What if we succeeded? What would we have? We would have a town characterized by the absence of evil, which is not the same as a town characterized by the presence of good. And maybe this is what Jesus was talking about all along, that it's better to have a wheat field with weeds in it than a field with nothing in it at all.
When a church in Wingate, North Carolina, began a ministry to the children of a nearby trailer park, they had to decide what kind of ministry it would be. They could have chosen to root out all the sources of evil in that place-to chase down the drug dealers and the deadbeat dads, to confiscate handguns and arrest child abusers. Instead, they chose to put up a basketball goal, to tell stories from the Bible, to put their arms around little children, and sing songs about Jesus. And two years after they started that ministry, two years of going out there Saturday after Saturday to do those things, the pastor got a note in his box at church with five words on it: "Adrian wants to be baptized." Adrian. The terror of the trailer park. That little girl who had made their work most difficult during the previous two years. Who would have guessed? Instead of pulling weeds in the field where she lived, they just tried hard to be wheat, and somehow Adrian saw that and fell in love with it and wanted it for herself. After she was baptized, there was a little more wheat in the field. And because she was there, soon, there was even more.
James Somerville, A World Full of Weeds
If You Are a Preacher of Grace
How can you and I live our everyday lives with an awareness of the hiddenness of the good among the weeds, without getting unhealthy in our cynicism, without going crazy? Again Martin Luther offers a profound insight. He put it this way once in a letter to his friend, Philip Melanchthon:
"If you are a preacher of grace, then preach a true and not a pretended grace; if grace is true, you must bear a true and not a pretended sin. God does not save people who are pretended sinners. Be a sinner and sin bravely, but believe and rejoice in Christ even more bravely...."
Mark Ellingsen, Jesus' Vision of a Fun, Free Life, Not Driven by Purpose, CSS Publishing Company, Inc.
"If you are a preacher of grace, then preach a true and not a pretended grace; if grace is true, you must bear a true and not a pretended sin. God does not save people who are pretended sinners. Be a sinner and sin bravely, but believe and rejoice in Christ even more bravely...."
Mark Ellingsen, Jesus' Vision of a Fun, Free Life, Not Driven by Purpose, CSS Publishing Company, Inc.
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A Line Through Every Heart
I have colleagues who continually want to cull the field, making decisions on the basis of belief ... behavior ... even baptism. As many of you know, my wife is into genealogy. She's traced portions of her family back over 500 years. Just a few months ago, we learned that she had a relative who was burned at the stake in Switzerland. Why? Because he had the wrong understanding of baptism, that's why. They weeded him out. Then they burned him up.
As for me, I don't always know whether I am weed or wheat. Wasn't it Alexander Solzhenitsyn who said: "If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being." Which, I suppose, includes my heart. For all I know, I may even be the weed in somebody else's garden. Perhaps in your garden.
Collected Sermons, William A. Ritter, ChristianGlobe Networks, Inc.
A Line Through Every Heart
I have colleagues who continually want to cull the field, making decisions on the basis of belief ... behavior ... even baptism. As many of you know, my wife is into genealogy. She's traced portions of her family back over 500 years. Just a few months ago, we learned that she had a relative who was burned at the stake in Switzerland. Why? Because he had the wrong understanding of baptism, that's why. They weeded him out. Then they burned him up.
As for me, I don't always know whether I am weed or wheat. Wasn't it Alexander Solzhenitsyn who said: "If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being." Which, I suppose, includes my heart. For all I know, I may even be the weed in somebody else's garden. Perhaps in your garden.
Collected Sermons, William A. Ritter, ChristianGlobe Networks, Inc.
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I Wrote My Books on Tuesdays
I Wrote My Books on Tuesdays
There was once a great Quaker leader by the name of Rufus Jones. Jones wrote and published one book a year for over fifty years. He did this while attending countless meetings, making frequent speeches, editing a magazine and taking care of countless other chores that his position required. Someone once asked him how under these circumstances he found the time to write so many books he answered, "I wrote my books on Tuesdays." Throughout his career he set aside Tuesdays as his one "free" day accepting no appointments that could be avoided. He began after breakfast and wrote until dark. He might be thinking about his next project all week long, but he did not put it on paper until Tuesday. By following that simple plan he left behind a great body of work.
You have heard it before because it is true: Those who fail to plan, plan to fail. Jesus talked about the foolishness of those who build towers without first sitting down and figuring the cost. Successful living requires that we give some thought to the future. We have a vision of the beautiful garden we hope to be. Now we sit down and make a plan. What would I have to do to make my dream a reality?
You have heard it before because it is true: Those who fail to plan, plan to fail. Jesus talked about the foolishness of those who build towers without first sitting down and figuring the cost. Successful living requires that we give some thought to the future. We have a vision of the beautiful garden we hope to be. Now we sit down and make a plan. What would I have to do to make my dream a reality?
King Duncan, Getting Rid of the Weeds, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com
You Need 100 Points
There is a story about a minister who had a strange dream. He dreamt that he had died and was trying to get into heaven. When he approached the pearly gates, St. Peter told him he needed 100 points to get in. Proudly the minister said, "Well, I was a pastor for 43 years." "Fine," said St. Peter, "That's worth one point." "One point? Is that all?" cried the minister. "Yes, that's it," said St. Peter.
"Well," said the pastor, "I visited lots of shut-ins." St. Peter responded, "That's worth one point." "I worked with young people," said the pastor. "That's worth one point," said St. Peter. "I developed a number of excellent Scout programs," said the minister. "That's worth one point," said St. Peter. "You have four points now. You need 96 more." "Oh no," said the minister in a panic. "I feel so helpless, so inadequate. Except for the grace of God, I don't have a chance." St. Peter smiled and said, "Grace of God--that counts for 96 points. Come on in!"
"Well," said the pastor, "I visited lots of shut-ins." St. Peter responded, "That's worth one point." "I worked with young people," said the pastor. "That's worth one point," said St. Peter. "I developed a number of excellent Scout programs," said the minister. "That's worth one point," said St. Peter. "You have four points now. You need 96 more." "Oh no," said the minister in a panic. "I feel so helpless, so inadequate. Except for the grace of God, I don't have a chance." St. Peter smiled and said, "Grace of God--that counts for 96 points. Come on in!"
There will be a final judgment. God's justice and our freedom of choice demand it. Every person will spend eternity in heaven or hell. Our passport to heaven is simple. It's just a matter of saying to God sincerely, "I am a sinner for whom Jesus died. I claim him by faith as Savior and Lord." If you haven't taken that step in faith, do it today! Do it now!
Bill Bouknight, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com
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Clean the Glass Shade Daily
Clean the Glass Shade Daily
Pastor Cecil Williams tells of growing up in Texas. They didn't have electric lights in their house. They had two oil lamps with wicks that had to be lit daily. Once they were lit, a glass shade fit over the flame and they glowed.
Cecil's mother kept telling her children, "Ya'll clean the shade before you put it over the lamp. If you don't, you won't get as much light." Young Cecil didn't like cleaning the lampshades. It took a long time and lots of elbow grease to scour off the sticky, gray soot. But when the shade was clean, one lamp would be bright enough to light up the whole living room.
Back then, cleaning the lamp shades was Cecil's job...
