July
Reflection
If you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them.
Let them grow together until harvest
Matthew 12:24-30
Perhaps there were some overzealous “weeders” in Matthew’s congregation who wanted to purify the community by rooting out the bad seed. This seems to be a temptation for followers of Jesus in every age. We whip ourselves into a weeding frenzy, certain that we know the difference between weeds and wheat, and that we know how to deal with the weeds!
Jesus makes clear that we simply cannot be certain who is “in” or who is “out.” In fact, God’s judgment about these matters will take many by surprise. Thank God it is not up to us! We can leave the weeding to the angels, and get on with the mission Jesus has given us — proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God drawing near.
Elizabeth Johnson
Prayer
May I grow in tolerance and patience.
Action
Consider where you might be self-righteous and judge others harshly if they do not agree with your beliefs. Where can you be more tolerant?
Suggested Reading
The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
The owner’s servants came to him and said, “Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?”
“An enemy did this,” he replied. The servants asked him, “Do you want us to go and pull them up?’‘ “No,” he answered, “because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest.”
Matthew 13:23-43
Let us look in the mirror before judging.
Pope Francis
When you encounter difficulties and contradictions, do not try to break them, but bend them with gentleness and time.
Saint Francis de Sales
The highest result of education is tolerance.
Helen Keller
Even God doesn’t propose to judge a man till his last days, why should you and I?
Dale Carnegie
It’s very easy to be judgmental until you know someone’s truth.
Kate Winslet
Those wearing tolerance for a label call other views intolerable.
Phyllis McGinley
It is not for me to judge another man’s life. I must judge, I must choose, I must spurn, purely for myself. For myself alone.
Hermann Hesse
It’s not your job to judge or to decide if someone deserves something. It’s your job to lift the fallen and comfort the broken.
Karen Gibbs