Epiphany V- Matthew 13:24-30

 The Fifth Sunday after Epiphany does not occur every year in the traditional BCP calendar, and even this year it is the last Sunday before Pre-Lent begins. The Gospel for this Sunday (Matthew 13:24-30) is the parable of the tares or weeds. Although the Epiphany Season emphasizes the spread of goodness and light, this passage serves as a reminder that the spread of goodness is not always upward and onward. There are also problems and setbacks. While goodness grows, evil also grows beside it. The church in the world is God's field, but all is not as it should be. God's spiritual enemy has scattered bad seeds in the field. 

In the parable of the tares, our Lord reminds us that life in the world, including life in the church on earth, is a mixture. Certainly, the church at all levels needs individual and community discipline. Sometimes, certain obvious sinners should be excluded from the church. Yet, there will always remain problems and corruption in this world, even in the Christian church. Until the final harvest, weeds will keep growing beside the good grain in God's field. As we recognize that reality, we should also seek divine grace to grow in goodness ourselves and to encourage the growth of goodness around us.

Epiphany V- Tares

The Fifth Sunday after Epiphany does not occur every year in the traditional western calendar. (In fact, the propers for this Sunday are as likely to be used near the end of the Trinity season.) This part of the church year depends upon the date of Easter which not only determines the dates of Lent but also of the Pre-Lenten season. This year, Easter is late, and there are six Sundays after Epiphany before Pre-Lent (the "Gesimas").

The Gospel for today (St. Matthew 13:24-30) is the familiar parable of the tares or weeds. One theme of Epiphany is the spread of goodness and light, but this story then reminds us that the spread of goodness is not always upward and onward. There are also problems. As goodness is growing, there is also evil growing beside it. The church in the world is God's field, but all is not as it should be. God's spiritual enemy has scattered bad seed in the field. By the parable of the tares, our Lord reminds us that life in the world, including life in the earthly church, is a mixture. Of course, there is a need for individual and community discipline. There are times when certain obvious sinners should be excluded from the church. Yet, although we may long for perfection, it is not attainable in this world. Until the final harvest, there will be weeds growing beside the good grain in God's field. We should recognize that reality, and then we should accept divine grace to grow in goodness ourselves and to encourage its growth around us.