Saturday, July 23, 2016, St. Bridget
Jeremiah 7:1-11, Psalm 84:3-6, 8, 11, Matthew 13:24-30
Link to Readings --> http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/072316.cfm
WEED LOVERS
"Do you want us to go out and pull them up?" -Matthew 13:28
The farmer in Jesus' parable of the wheat and weeds says something I've never heard a farmer or gardener say before. He says that you shouldn't pull up the weeds because "you might take the wheat along with them" (Mt 13:29). It seems that Jesus' wheat and weeds are much more intertwined than those of other people. This is a scary thought. It's bad enough to put up with the weeds much less having to be closely connected to them.
Jesus doesn't want us intertwined with the values, priorities, morality, idolatry, and selfishness of the weeds. Jesus has chosen us out of the world (Jn 15:19). However, Jesus does want us intertwined with the weeds through love, forgiveness, evangelization, service, and mercy. Our hearts go out to the weeds, and in this way we are intertwined with them. It should be the desire of our hearts that the weeds turn to Jesus in repentance and faith. Then Jesus will transform the weeds into wheat. We are even willing to suffer [for the weeds and] because of the weeds to motivate them to let Jesus make them wheat. We will accept a lifetime of suffering if only the weeds turn into wheat before the ultimate weeding, the end of the world (see Mt 13:30).
Prayer: Father, give me the grace so that the more I love the sinner, the more I hate the sin.
Promise: "I too see what is being done, says the Lord." -Jer 7:11
Praise: St. Bridget's piety and charity blessed many. She was blessed to mother eight natural children, one of whom became a canonized saint.
(For a related teaching on "Evangelization", listen to or download our CD 55-1 and 55-3 or DVD 55-CH. 1, 2, 3, 4, at presentationministries.com or order our tape on audio AV 55-1 and 55-3 or video V 55.)
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Rescript: In accord with the "Code of Canon Law", I hereby grant my permission to publish "One Bread, One Body" covering the period from June 1, 2016 through July 31, 2016
?Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, January 20, 2016
The rescript is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted ecclesial permission agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.
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