From our Pastor’s Desk

Dear Family:

On this 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, the church turns our attention to the Lord, the Just Judge, who, through his mercy, calls us to his kingdom. She also reminds us that Christ and the Holy Spirit help us in our journey toward God’s kingdom of justice.

In today’s first reading, Wisdom extolled God for being a just judge: “For neither is there any god besides you who have the care of all, that you need to show you have not unjustly condemned.” This is the nature of our God. In his mercy, he pardons us and gives us new opportunities. Hence, Wisdom says: “…and you gave your children good ground for hope that you would permit repentance for their sins.”

What must we learn from this? Quite simple! Since God, in his justice, shows us mercy (grace), we must do the same to others. Just as the Lord is kind in judgment to us, “…the virtuous man must be kind to his fellow men!” In other words, this is a call to take advantage of God’s mercy and to emulate his sense of judgment towards others.

In the second reading, St. Paul highlights the vital ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives. He comes to help us with all our weaknesses. Indeed, we are weak in many ways, especially in prayer. Hence, “we do not know how to pray.” This is where the Holy Spirit comes to help us. He strengthens us in prayer and advocates for us before God. He alone can succeed where we fail by presenting our needs in a way that God perfectly understands them.

In the gospel, Jesus used three parables to teach us about the nature of the kingdom, and God’s judgment. However, of these three parables, the parable of the wheat and the darnel tells the whole story in one piece. Again, like in the parable of the Sower, one could ask: What good farmer would allow weed to grow together with his crops? In this parable, he took what seems to us a great risk. However, he allowed them to grow together so that the difference would become apparent.

God knew this before time began. So, He did not create two worlds, one for the “righteous” and another for “sinners.” Instead, he allows all of us to co-habit together in this same world. Though risky, this might be of some benefit. The righteous learn from the sinners’ misery and continue to struggle to remain virtuous. While the sinner, seeing the triumph of the righteous, equally struggles to live a better life. However, St. Paul reminds us that: “Though we live in this world, we do not wage war as the world does” (2 Cor 10:3). Also, he warns us: “Do not be conformed to this world” (Rom 12:2).

Hence, by allowing this “dangerous and risky cohabitation,” God, in his mercy, allows us to repent and prepare for the great day of harvest. The wheat survived the competition for nutrients and space with the weeds through the strength of its viability. So too, the righteous will survive in their struggle through Christ and the Holy Spirit, who sustains, prepares, and marks us for the great harvest for God’s kingdom.

So, the parable of the wheat and the darnel show how God, the just judge, acts kindly with us. “Salvation and glory and power belong to our God. His judgment is true and just” (Rev 19:1;12).

I encourage all to allow the Word of God to create roots in us. That will make us One Body, One Spirit, One Family!

Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Katharine Drexel, Saint Michael the Archangel, St. José Gregorio Hernández, Pope Saint Pius X, St. Teresa of Avila, and St. Charbel, pray for us.

Yours in Christ!
Fr. Omar