Sunday Mass reading meditation for this Sunday readings

This meditation for the 16th Sunday of the Ordinary time was first published in The California Mission magazine ( http://www.msjc.org ) in July 1999 and it is here:

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

Mass Readings:
Wis 12:13.16-19
Psalm 85:5-16
Rom 8:26-27
Matt 13:24-43

Last Sunday we heard the parable of the Sower and the Seed, which describes the power of God's word and how a person should receive it. Today, the gospel parable also speaks of sowing seeds, but this time Jesus identifies the seeds, not as the word of God, but as ''the citizens of the
kingdom." This distinction allows us to ponder the significance of what Jesus is teaching in today's parable of the "Wheat and the Weeds."
The wheat that springs from the good seed represents the citizens of the kingdom of God. The weeds represent ''the followers of the evil one." The wheat and weeds both sprout and grow together in the field that represents this world. But at harvest time, which represents God's judgment at the end of the world, the wheat and weeds will be separated. Thus, this parable covers the whole course of time between the first and second comings of Jesus Christ. Most likely, we do not often think about this vast scope of time. Even if we pray and try to develop our spiritual lives, we may think it best to focus on our own situation and problems and not think about ''the big picture," which is presumably God's concern. But the very fact that Jesus taught us this parable shows us how shortsighted this thinking is.
As we hear the parable of the wheat and weeds we need to start asking Jesus to teach us about ''the big picture" and why this is an important part of our spiritual lives. One thing the parable teaches us is that God has authority over everything that happens in the world-whether good or evil. Nothing escapes His hand. When we forget this "big picture," we often get so discouraged by the evil in the world that we give in to cynicism or destructive anger. The big picture gives us strength to resist evil, trust in God's power, and patience in the midst of our trials.
The parable also reminds us that someday every person will face judgment before Almighty God. Someday we will all have to account for our deeds before God. There will be a day when God will perfectly establish His justice. We need to remember that our life and the lives of every Single person we will ever meet are all heading toward this definitive encounter with God.
How important is it for us to remember this perspective.