16A Sunday Homily, Matthew 13:24-30, July 19, 2026
By: Father Vincent Corbelli, MM
1. STORY
John loved to
climb mountains. One day, wearing his
heavy coat, he set off to climb to the mountain peak. When he reached the top, he saw a rattlesnake.
To his great surprise, the snake spoke
saying he was starving and freezing and asked John to put him under his coat
and take him down to the valley. John
refused saying that the snake would bite him and the bite would kill him. The snake responded that for this favor he
would not harm him. A t first John resisted but finally agreed to help
the snake. He picked up the snake and
tucked him under his coat. When
they arrived at the valley, he took the snake from under his coat and laid it
on the grass. Then suddenly the snake
bit John's leg. John was shocked and
reminded the snake of his promise not to harm him. “You knew what I was when you picked me up,”
answered the snake as he slithered away. This is a reminder to avoid evil persons,
places and things.
2. GOSPEL,
MATTHEW 13:24-30
A) A MAN
SOWED GOOD SEEDS AND THE ENEMY SOWED WEEDS
The story tells
us that in the field there are wheat and weeds. The field represents the world, the wheat
represents good people, and the weeds represent bad people. In the world, there are both good and bad
people.
B) LET THEM GROW
TOGEHER UNTIL HARVEST
The slave is
instructed not to take any action until the harvest when there will be a
separation of the wheat and weeds. God
permits both good and bad people to live. There will be a separation of the two at the last
judgment.
3. APPLICATION TO
LIFE
A) THE WORLD HAS
BOTH GOOD AND BAD PEOPLE
In the home, the
church, and in the world, there are both good and bad people. Good people, but their words and actions, harm
us and we should avoid them.
B) GOD IS PATIENT
AND GOD IS JUST
God wishes to
save all and so is very patient with both the good and bad. He gives people a chance for the better, to
improve their moral lives. He sent Jesus
to help us, and his work is carried on by the Church. Jesus gives us the wisdom and strength to be
good. God is just as he will separate
the good from the bad on judgment day. He
will reward the just and punish the bad.
4. CONCLUSION
In the story,
John learned that it is dangerous to associate with a rattlesnake. In the parable, we learn that in the world
there are both good people, represented by the wheat, and bad people
represented by weeds. God permits both
to live side by side in the hope that bad people, the weeds, will have a change
of heart and repent their ways. Jesus
has come to help us to be good. Finally,
God is just and at the last judgment will separate the good from the bad by
rewarding the good and punishing the bad.
