Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Sr. Godlieve Ziunga , SNDdeN
July 19, 2026 – Matthew 13: 24-43
On this sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary time in Liturgical Year A, the Church, our mother, invites us to meditate on the parables of the kingdom seed including that of the wheat and the tares. These parables draw on the experience of farmers and family experiences. They teach us patience, perseverance and hope.
Indeed, in the world and our own lives, in the depths of our own hearts, good and bad co-exist. It is a struggle, an interior attitude about which God alone is the judge. The question which we may ask ourselves is, where does evil come from in this creation which God has created good? In the midst of our lives, in our hearts ?
Like the good sower, it is important to identify the sources of the bad seed in order to curb the growth of evil within us—such as hatred, jealousy, envy, pride, misunderstanding, and impatience—while doing our utmost to nurture the good seed: love, peace, joy, humility, forgiveness, and dialogue. Through the parables in this passage, Jesus calls us to vigilance, to an examination of conscience, to the practice of the sacraments, and to prudence. We must not let the enemy sow weeds in our hearts, hinder the mustard seed from growing, or diminish the action of the leaven in our dough. Allowing the good grain and the weeds to grow together does not mean complacently accepting evil; rather, it means constantly discerning what contributes to our growth and our journey toward the Kingdom of Heaven, all while remembering our humanity and our need for God’s grace and mercy. In doing so, we avoid judging others or lacking patience with them, and we steer clear of discouragement in the good works we undertake in our daily lives, missions, and apostolates. May God help us to understand and live out the Good News of Salvation ever more fully. Amen!
Matthew 13: 24-43
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. “Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked. “Yes,” they replied. He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”
Meet Sister Godlieve Ziunga, SNDdeN
