Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – 19th July 2026
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today’s Gospel begins with a simple picture that speaks to every one of us. A farmer goes out into his field and sows good seed. He has done everything well. He has chosen the best seed and planted it with hope and care. But during the night, while everyone is asleep, an enemy comes and sows weeds among the wheat. When the plants begin to grow, the servants are puzzled. They ask, “Master, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where, then, have the weeds come from?”
Isn’t that a question we often ask ourselves? If God is so good, where does evil come from? Why is there so much suffering in the world? Why are there wars, broken families, betrayal, injustice and so many tears?
Jesus does not give a long explanation. He simply says, “An enemy has done this.” But what happens next is even more important. The servants want to solve the problem immediately. “Shall we go and pull up the weeds?”
That sounds very much like us.
We like quick solutions. We want everything to be put right straight away. We want justice now. We want the good rewarded and the wicked punished. But the master gives a surprising answer. “No. Let them both grow together until the harvest.” Why? Because in pulling up the weeds, they might also pull up the wheat. How patient God is.
We judge a person by a single moment. God looks at an entire lifetime. We see people as they are today. God sees what they can become through his grace.
Pope Francis often reminded us that God never grows tired of forgiving; it is we who grow tired of asking for forgiveness. What a beautiful thought. God sees in each one of us not only who we are today, but who we may become tomorrow.
Think of Saint Paul. If you had met him when he was persecuting Christians, you might have said, “There is no hope for this man.” But God saw an apostle where everyone else saw only a persecutor.
Think of Saint Augustine. For many years he lived far from God. His mother, Saint Monica, never stopped praying for him. If she had given up hope, the Church would never have known one of her greatest saints and teachers.
God is patient. And that is wonderful news for every one of us.