Reading of the Word of God

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Whoever lives and believes in me
will never die.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Matthew 13,24-30

He put another parable before them, '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, then the darnel appeared as well. The owner's labourers 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?" He said to them, "Some enemy has done this." And the labourers 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." '

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

If you believe, you will see the glory of God,
thus says the Lord.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

With this parable Jesus describes the story of salvation till its end on the day of judgement. Many considerations could be done, but one seems important to me. We could say that the story of Christian tolerance starts from this parable. These words erase the evil grass - this one really evil - of Manichaeism, of the sharp distinction between good and bad, between righteous and unjust. In the Gospel words there is not only an invitation to unlimited tolerance, but also to respect the enemy, even when the enemy is against the most just and holiest cause, perhaps God or justice or a nation and freedom. Of course, the mystery of this enemy remains; it is and enemy who, while everyone was asleep, sowed in the midst of the wheat the evil grass that suffocates the good one. It is the mystery of evil to which we do not know how to respond. Certainly we cannot answer by putting another evil into the field. If anything, we must put in place the strength of hope and tolerance to counter the reappearance of evil. In front of us is the challenge to be more vigilant and attentive; not to fall asleep while the prince of division, the devil, continues to sow weeds. The choice of the householder, so different from our way of thinking and behaviour, establishes a culture of peace. This Gospel word urges us to meet and dialogue in a time of tragic conflicts. This attitude is not a sign of weakness or concession. The Lord gives each human being the possibility to explore his or her heart deeply, to find there the mark of God, of His justice, and to change his or her life.