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Over the last three weeks we have heard a series parables that reveal how God’s perspective is often very different from our own: the seed is sown on rich soil and poor soil; the weeds are nurtured alongside the wheat; and all the fish, good and bad, are drawn into the same net. God, it seems, is not as picky as we are.
So, when feeding the 5,000, in Matthew 14:13-21, God works with whatever there is. The disciples state “we have nothing” yet Jesus still commands “bring it to me” and “all ate and were filled.”
But the most significant thing about this story is not the meagre rations but the leftovers. When the disciples collect all that was discarded, “the broken pieces”, they fill 12 baskets. Twelve symbolises God’s people, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 disciples, 12 full baskets representing the fulfilment of God’s promise.
How do we discern a person’s heart? How do we know good from evil? For the last two weeks we have heard parables that remind us that we are often not the best judge.
In the parable of the sower, the sower does not distinguish between the stony ground and good soil; in the parable of the wheat and weeds, the farmer allows both to grow together. This week, in Matthew 13: 31-33, 44-52, we have a similar parable about the nets of fish: all are gathered in, the good and the bad together.
The other parables this week give us an insight into why we are not to judge, our view and God’s view are not often the same.
We are in the middle of a series of parables about seeds, weeds and growing things. The farmer in this week’s gospel, Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, is as much of a maverick as last week’s (who scattered seed generously over all the ground whether the soil was good or bad) today the farmer allows the wheat and the weeds to flourish together in his field. The workers want to root out the weeds but the farmer forbids them. Both weeds and wheat grow from the same soil and to uproot one may also uproot the other.
The Greek word used for weed in this story is Zizania, a wild grain that looks very similar to wheat. It seems that it is difficult to distinguish good from bad grains and the same can be said for human beings.
Just like last week, this week’s gospel makes it clear that human beings are not the best judge and that any judging should be left in God’s hands.
Listen, a sower went out to sow” … we all know Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23, it is the parable of the sower. We tend to interpret it, however, as the parable of the soil. We wonder about our own soil: is our faith shallow like rocky ground? are we too choked with the cares and concerns of the world like thorny ground? We wonder even more about our neighbours’ soil: we compare and have opinions about who is bearing much fruit and who is bearing little. But it is the parable of the SOWER. It has something to say, not about us, but about God. Whilst we are busy judging whose soil is best and whose lives are the most fruitful, the sower blithely carries on scattering seed everywhere.
Today we celebrate Pride Sunday.