There Is Work To Be Done

In today’s Gospel we still find ourselves in a field or a garden as a metaphor for the reality of the planting of God’s Word in us and our growing response to it. Last week we heard about the casting of seed onto a diversity of soils, hard and rocky, or rich and well turned. Certainly good soil makes the job easier. But, Regardless of the quality of soil, we all know from experience, that good soil still takes cultivation, and adequate watering to insure a good harvest. Our effort is involved. Of course, we trust in God’s providence. It is right to do so. We believe that at the final great harvest, the wheat (those who believe) will be separated from the weeds (those who deny God) And the wheat will be gathered and bound together (in heaven) while the weeds will be burned in the Furnace (of Hell). Trust is important, but trust is not complacency. St Ignatius of Loyola said - “Pray as if everything depended on God and work as if everything depended on you.” As Christians we wait patiently for the final judgement to come, but do do so lazily or haphazardly fails to promote the Kingdom of God here and now. It is like planting seeds and walking away. Planting is only the beginning. There still is much work to be done. It is like our baptism. Baptism is only the beginning and much of the work of faith is still to be done. It is God’s gift, but we are responsible to care for what is planted (seed or faith). But, to often we rather not do the work. We rather not be bothered. We rather just sit back and hope for the best. We never pull a weed or pray for another, never water a basin or teach a child, but still we dream of that fresh tomato or a faith filled family. We want to be a good Christian. We want our children to be good Christians, but we neglect the work it takes to make it happen. We may not have it in us, but the Holy Spirit does. St Paul tells us that the Spirit comes to our aid in our weakness. Of course, it’s the Spirit that knows how to pray and can teach us how to pray silently in the presence of God, but the Spirit also knows how to toil in the Lord’s field. And if we are open to the Spirit, who is able and willing, he will direct our efforts. If we do a least a little bit of work for the Kingdom, allowing Grace to do the rest, the good seed of the Gospel message once planted (in the heart, home or in the community) will come to fruition. We know Jesus spoke in Parables. And it was his Parables that’s were remembered, shared, eventually collected and written down. Jesus used parables to both explain the unexplainable and to engage the listener as each hearer brings their own experiences and understanding to the story. Each listener naturally puts themselves within the parable. I am rocky soil or good soil, I am wheat or weed. Do I help or hinder God’s work. Today’s parsable points to the future end time with the joys of the heavenly kingdom or torment of the fiery furnace of hell. But, it is also calls us to action now. As the People of God, we are both the wheat (waiting for the final harvest) and day laborers who must work the soil, tend the growth of what was planted and chase off all that could harm it. And yet now the soil seems rockier then ever. The weeds are more numerous. The birds more ruthless. It looks a little bleak in the Lord’s field. But, this is where we find ourselves. This is our field and this is our task before us - to live out our faith right now. It is only in doing the work of love, that we serve the Gospel message. In only in doing the work of love that we, (in the Spirit, and with sleeves rolled up) set out to be good gardeners in our small patch of earth. Jesus clearly asks this of us. And so in confidence let we pray as if everything depends on God, and we know it does. And let us work as if everything depends on us; dig out the stones of poverty and injustice, pull out weeds of abuse and prejudice, chase off the birds of selfishness and despair. It’s the Lord’s field let us water all who thirst and feed all who hunger. Remember, our faith, our children’s faith, needs constant attention and hard work as todays parable reminds us goodness and evil compete and sometimes it’s hard to tell who has the upper hand. It can drive us mad, but we do not despair for despair is complacency. And this is no time for complacency. This is no time to sit back and hope for the best. We look forward to the final harvest where Truth, Goodness and Justice will prevail and the children of God will rejoice in heaven as evil, all evil, will be destroyed in the fiery furnace. But, that is then. Now, is the time to pray and work. And in the Spirit, our efforts (prayer or work), (large or small) are never in vain. For our efforts, our love, is offered up for the Kingdom of God.