St James Catholic Church

Two years ago, Pope Francis established the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, to be celebrated every year on the fourth Sunday of July, the closest to the feast day of Saints Joachim and Anne, Mary’s parents.  The Pope spoke of grandparents providing a younger generation a link to generations who have passed away.  We are called to value and heed the wisdom and experience of our elderly.  In today’s Gospel, Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a tiny mustard seed that over time grows to be a huge bush.  Today’s older generation were all once tiny mustard seeds themselves.  With the Lord’s blessings, they have persevered and thrived and continue to help realize the kingdom of heaven in this world.

In Jesus’ time, what farmers think, is wheat may turn out to be darnel, a toxic weed, and vice-versa.  Therefore, the parable’s farmer expresses words of caution about pulling up the weeds prematurely.  Those whom we now identify as evil may grow and transform and eventually blossom as righteous and good.

We have an entire lifetime to change, to mature and leaven, before the harvest comes.

Consequently, Jesus counsels patience for those who tend the wheat fields.  Do not judge or condemn prematurely.  As we hear in the book of Wisdom, God judges with clemency, governs with leniency, applies justice with kindness, and permits repentance for sin.  We are not perfect.  We are not strong enough to always avoid sin, to always do the right thing.  If we heed the movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we can blossom, nourishing others with the fruit we bear.

As we celebrate this weekend the feast of our parish patron, let us strive to live up to his title of St. James the Greater.

Love, Peace, Joy,

Fr. Bob