July 16, 2008

Today’s text

Matthew 13:36-43

Then, leaving the crowds, he went to the house; and his disciples came to him and said, 'Explain to us the parable about the darnel in the field.' He said in reply, 'The sower of the good seed is the Son of man. The field is the world; the good seed is the subjects of the kingdom; the darnel, the subjects of the Evil One; the enemy who sowed it, the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; the reapers are the angels. Well then, just as the darnel is gathered up and burnt in the fire, so it will be at the end of time. The Son of man will send his angels and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of falling and all who do evil, and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth. Then the upright will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Anyone who has ears should listen!

Prayer

Judgment comes, but not just at the end of the age. It comes now.

It arrives with each moment of awareness in which I realize (again) that I have not lived the love which you sow in the soil of this soul. I have judged harshly, contributing to the great volume of hard-hearted lovelessness that fills the world, turning our teeth on edge and teaching (again) that distrust is wisdom and suspicion is prudent. All of which leaves us poorer.

The seed you sow is good. It grows into a harvest of beautiful soul and gracious care for your world. Like waves of wheat swaying in the wind, we are your growing field, swaying with the currents of your Spirit, a gorgeous dance of life and love. And yet, the darnel, the weeds are sown in our souls, too. And too soon we depart the dance and march to the beat of our anger, fear and woundedness, contributing poisonous fruit to a world already toxic.

So are we, Jesus, those to be gathered in the fire for burning? Or will the seed of your life grow despite the weeds? May we yet be the fruit of your good seed, shining like the sun? What have you to say to us, the mixed fruit?

Water the seed, you say. It will grow into the beauty of my harvest, and you will know it in yourselves. Listen. The power of my love is in the seed.

Pr. David L. Miller