The Holy Martyr Hyacinth of Amastris; Holy Martyr Emilian (360-63)
Read
1 Corinthians 3:18-23; Matthew 13:36-43
Too often in the last few years, I’ve opened the newspaper to read about bishops and priests who have abused their authority. Sexual and financial abuse seems to be rampant, symptoms of the crisis of failure in leadership in the Church today. So when I started reading today’s gospel, I hoped that there would be a parallel between the ‘weeds’ of today’s parable (actually, Jesus’ explanation of the parable we read on Tuesday) and the many leaders who have wreaked so much havoc in the Church. But, after reading several commentaries on the passage, it became clear that the weeds don’t parallel egregious sinners in today’s Church; after all, Matthew’s gospel gives clearer instructions for dealing with ongoing sin and abuse in the Church in other passages, and that is to deal with it now, fairly but firmly, rather than wait for the coming of Christ in judgment. Thus, today’s gospel is better seen as either describing hidden sins or as a judgment of humanity more generally, rather than the Church in particular.
However, this gospel still helps us in this ongoing crisis, because it portrays the life of the Church as a spiritual battle. So often, Christianity is presented as therapeutic, and indeed, it is(!), but part of that therapy is a willingness to fight against evil. Sometimes that fight requires patience, but at other times, it requires a forceful confrontation. I’m not sure exactly what that confrontation might look like today, but let’s take today’s gospel as an encouragement to begin that confrontation, with prayer and fasting.