“But, I didn’t do anything wrong!”
Sometimes the sin isn’t in what I did but rather in what I
didn’t do.
If I don’t plant a seed, it can’t grow. And if that seed that
doesn’t get watered and fed it dies.
In the gospel today, the apostles ask: "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the
field." He said in reply, "He who sows good seed is the Son of Man,
the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom. The weeds
are the children of the Evil One, and the enemy who sows them is the Devil. The
harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. Just as weeds are
collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son
of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his Kingdom all who
cause others to sin and all evildoers. They will throw them into the fiery
furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. Then the righteous
will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears ought
to hear." Mt 13:36-43)
We have been given ears to hear God’s message and as humans we
have been given the choice to plant for God, or to plant for the devil. It is
our choice: when and what to plant, to nurture and how to nurture others
(especially young plants/children), and how and with what we fertilize
ourselves and each other.
If I plant nothing and do nothing, nothing will happen.
If I plant weeds through sin in the garden of my life, they are
sure to grow. By sinning I am telling others it is “okay to sin”. By spreading
lies like: “If she/he can do it, so can I” or “Everybody else is doing it” of
“if no one knows I did or did not do it, it won’t hurt anyone” and “it only
affects me” I grow these lies and allow God’s truths to be uprooted. This is
especially true in the examples I set for my children—right or wrong.
If my choice is to miss a meal, a week of meals, a month of
meals I will go hungry, I may even starve and die. And if I don’t feed my
family they will starve and die with me. Where am I getting my fertilizer; and
how am I spreading it?
Jesus
told us “I am the bread of life.” John 6:35 He provides the food which will
sustain us for eternity if we eat at His Eucharistic table.
God
always seems to provide us food when we need it the most. He fed Moses and his
people as they wandered in the desert by providing them with quail and manna.
And when Jesus was teaching in Galilee he fed the five thousand present by
multiplying the loaves. Jn 6: 1-15
God
says to pray: “Give us this day, our DAILY bread.” He provides for us daily in
scripture, prayer and with daily Eucharist at Mass. The more healthy food of
Christ’s I eat, the more healthy I grow in Spirit!
But
if I choose to miss a meal, a week of meals, a month of meals, I will starve
just as if I missed eating that many breakfasts, lunches and dinners. Just as I
won’t survive without eating human food daily; I can’t survive without choosing
to eat the heavenly food He has provided. I will starve for His grace.
And
to do nothing with the gifts that God has given me—that is the sin of
omission—of allowing others to wander, to follow evil and/or to avoid the
truth.
I
have been given opportunities to teach by example, listen with compassion to
those who are hurting, and to show kindness to a spouse or friend—maybe
sometimes with a simple smile and/or a kind word. If I do not sew the seed
which God has given me—who will?
Heavenly
Father, you bless us with the richest of food—Your son, who gave us His body
and blood to fulfill our souls. Help keep my ears open to Your word and Your
truth. Give me the wisdom to separate the weeds from the seeds. And help me to
plant only good, by my example, my speech and by my deeds. Thank you for giving
me this day and for my daily bread. Amen.
If
I don’t do anything, nothing can grow.
Plant
and feed a good seed this week,
Blessings,
Charlotte
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