The Parable of the Weeds among the Wheat
No fixed feast day in the calendar
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The owner lets wheat and weeds grow together until harvest: God patiently waits for people to turn back
What is this parable?
Jesus tells this parable to answer a hard question: why is there both good and evil in the world? The weeds in this story are a wild plant that looks very much like wheat while it is young, and is easier to tell apart once the ears appear.
The story
Jesus says: “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field.” (Mt 13:24). While everyone was asleep, his enemy came, sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. When the wheat came up and bore grain, the weeds appeared as well (cf. Mt 13:25-26).
The servants asked whether they should go and pull up the weeds. The owner answered: “No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them.” (Mt 13:29). At harvest time the harvesters would collect the weeds separately and gather the wheat into the barn (cf. Mt 13:30).
Afterward the disciples asked the Lord to explain it. He said: “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man.” (Mt 13:37). The field is the world, the good seed is the children of the Kingdom, the weeds are the children of the evil one, the enemy is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are the angels (cf. Mt 13:38-39).
What does Jesus want to teach you?
The Lord does not ignore evil: in the end, good will be separated from evil. But he is patient, because he wants everyone to have time to come back to him. Someone who is not living well today may turn around tomorrow and become a saint. So do not be quick to put anyone in the “weeds” group. Being patient does not mean letting wrong things happen: you still have to stop what is bad and protect people who are being hurt. Judging is God’s job; your job is to grow into good wheat.
A lesson for you
- Do not be quick to judge or criticize your friends; pray for those who are not yet living well.
- Guard your heart, and do not let “weeds” such as lies or jealousy grow there.
- Believe that in the end good will win, and keep on doing what is good.
Identifying marks
- A golden sheaf of wheat being carried to the barn: the children of the Kingdom, who live good lives and bear fruit, are gathered by God to be with him (cf. Mt 13:38, 43).
- A dark green bundle of weeds tied with string, set apart on a stone ledge: Jesus explains that the weeds are those who belong to the evil one, sown into the world by “the enemy”; at harvest time the wheat and the weeds are separated (cf. Mt 13:30, 39).
- Harvesters at work in the field behind: the harvest is the end of the age, the harvesters are the angels God sends, and it is God himself, not us, who judges (cf. Mt 13:39, 41).
- A field of ripe golden grain: God patiently lets both grow until the harvest, so that everyone still has time to turn back to him.
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Compiled by i-Catholic · About