5th Sunday after Epiphany – The wheat and the cockle

Collect

We beseech Thee, O Lord, to guard Thy family with continual mercy, and to defend with Thy constant protection those who rest on the hope of Thy grace alone. Through Jesus Christ Our Lord.

Epistle

Reading from the Epistle of the blessed Paul, Apostle, to the Colossians. Chap. 3.

My brethren, clothe yourselves, as is fitting for the elect of God, holy and beloved, with bowels of mercy, kindness, humility, modesty, patience; bearing with one another, forgiving one another, if any have cause for complaint against his brother. As the Lord has forgiven you, so do you. But in all things have charity, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Jesus Christ shine in your hearts, the peace to which you were called to be one body, and be thankful for it. Let the word of Christ dwell in you fully, in all wisdom, instructing and exhorting one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing to God in your hearts with edification. Whatever you do, word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to the God and Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Reflection on the Epistle (by M. Poujoulat)

This Epistle teaches us what are the magnificent titles of the Christian, and what are his duties. The Christian is holy by his vocation, and the object of God’s love. His duties are to practice charity and the other virtues which charity attracts after it, principally mercy, kindness, humility, modesty and patience. It teaches us that Christianity is the kingdom of Jesus Christ. That He rules it in peace. That our hearts are His Throne. That gratitude is the tribute we owe Him. That His word is the law that must govern all our conduct. That the ministers of the Gospel are not the only ones who must instruct. That the faithful must do so with regard to one another, by singing the psalms and by edifying works. That finally all our actions and all our words should be a continual hymn of thanksgiving to God, which is done when we unite ourselves in everything to Jesus Christ.

Gospel

The continuation of the holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew. Chap. 13.

At that time, Jesus said to the crowd this parable: The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good grain in his field; but while the men were sleeping, the enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and withdrew. When the grass had grown and come up in ears, the tares also began to appear. The servants of the father of the family came and said to him, “Lord, have you not sown good grain in your field? How then does it have weeds?” And he answered them, “It is the enemy man who has done this.” His servants said to him, “Do you want us to go and pull it up?” He said to them, “No, lest, in gathering the weeds, you pull up the wheat at the same time. Let them both grow until the harvest, and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather the tares first and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.”

Reflection on the Gospel (by M. Poujoulat)

This Gospel teaches us that there is everywhere in the world a mixture of good and evil; and this is what makes the world a place of fear and groaning for the righteous. That it is God who is the author of the good that is in us, and the devil the author of sin. That nevertheless it is the fault of men when evil prevails in them. That it is their negligence that the devil uses to lose them. That God, who allows this mixture, knows how to draw good from it. That charity and patience are the virtues by which the just are perfected. That the example and prayers of the righteous are the means of salvation from which the wicked can profit. That the time to oppose evil is when it has only just begun; that when it has made progress, it is not so easy to correct it. That finally this mixture will only end with the present age, and that in heaven only what is good will enter, as everything that is bad will be rejected.

Secret

We offer You, Lord, these hosts of propitiation, that in Your mercy You may forgive our sins and guide our faltering hearts. Through Jesus Christ Our Lord.

Postcommunion

Grant, O almighty God, that we may obtain the effect of the salvation of which we have already received the pledge in these Mysteries. Through Jesus Christ Our Lord.