27 July 2013 - seeds of doubt

27 July 2013 - seeds of doubt

‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where have the weeds come from?’

There is an undercurrent of mistrust in the tone of this question.  If this is truly the master's field why is it not only the wheat he has planted?

He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’

And is this reassuring?  It's may be even more frightening.  An enemy also has access to this field which is the source of the slaves livelihood.

While everyone was asleep his enemy came

But it isn't as though God sleeps.  Psalm 12 reminds us that "he who keeps you will not slumber."  Even after the creation of the world it isn't as though he rests on the Sabbath because he is tired.  He rests because there are things which are more important than work.  He rests from all else to make a day focused on our relationship with him.

Perhaps his sleep here is similar.  Working without sleep would imply that he is doing everything with no response on our part.  But he wants a relationship with us.  And he makes space for it by not forcing his will upon us.  Thus we may be either weeds or wheat.  We ourselves are the gateway of the enemy into the field.  It is reassuring then that the LORD waits until the harvest before separating the weeds and wheat. This is his patience, about which Pope Francis says:

God is always waiting for us, he never grows tired. Jesus shows us this merciful patience of God so that we can regain confidence, hope 

Let his patience move us to accept "all these words of his” as Moses puts it.  God brings us out from bondage in Egypt.  It isn't because we earn it.  He knows that if he tends to his field he will be able to reap a full harvest, no matter what weeds may spring up. Let us respond wholeheartedly:

“All that the LORD has said, we will heed and do.”

We must make this our intention.  Yet we know we fall short.  Jesus wants to reassure us that he won't pull up the weeds until the harvest.  He is patient and merciful.  All of our trials can move us to rely on him more and more completely.

Then call upon me in time of distress;
I will rescue you, and you shall glorify me.”

Amen, LORD.  Glory to you forever!