First Sunday Meditation: The Parable Of The Wheat And The Tares

"And the teachers and those who are wise shall shine

like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn

many to righteousness with God shall give forth light

like the stars forever and ever."

Daniel 12:3

The above illustration shows both wheat and tares.

The tares are on the right.

Speaking to the great crowds surrounding Him,

Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who

sowed good seed in his field. But while he was sleeping, 

 his enemy came and sowed also darnel

  (tares or wild wheat) 

among the wheat and went on his way.

So when the plants sprouted and formed grain, weeds

appeared also. And the servants of the owner came to him

and said, "Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field?

Then how does it have darnel  shoots in it?

He replied to them, "An enemy has done this."

The servants said to him, "Then do you want us to go

and weed them out? But he said, "No, lest in gathering the wild

 wheat you root up the true wheat along with it. Let them grow together

until the harvest; and at harvest time I will say to the reapers,

Gather the darnel first and bind it in bundles to be burned,

but gather the wheat into my granary."

Then Jesus left the throngs and went into the house where

he was staying. And His disciples came to Him and asked,

"Please explain to us the parable of the darnel in the field."

Jesus answered them, saying, "He Who sows the good seed

is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed

means the children of the kingdom; the darnel is the children

of the evil one. And the enemy who sowed it is the devil.

The harvest is the close and consummation of the age,

and the reapers are the angels. Just as the darnel, the wild wheat,

 is gathered and burned with fire, so it will be at the close of the age.

The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will

gather out of His kingdom all causes of offense, persons by whom

others are drawn into error or sin and all who do iniquity 

and act wickedly. And will cast them into the furnace of fire;

there will be weeping and wailing and grinding of teeth.

Then will the righteous, those who are upright and in right

standing with God, shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of

their Father. Let those who have ears to hear be listening,

and let them consider and perceive and understand by hearing."

Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43

Jesus Teaching From A Boat

James Tissot
(1836-1902)

The world is sad with hopes that die,

With joys that gleam and then go by,

And dim the mortal eyes that gaze

On setting suns of parting days.

Better the hope, the joy, the light

For spiritual heart and sight!

For they whose life is hid on high

Shall never part and never die.

They never part! that saintly band,

Heirs of the heavenly, holy land;

Whom God the Spirit hath made one

With God the Father and the Son.

They never die! the deathly strife

But ushers them to glorious life:

From their last enemy they gain

Their birth to bliss, their end to pain.

But woe to them whose hearts are giv'n

To joys and treasures not of Heav'n;

Their wild awakening is to shame,

The second death is endless flame.

O Jesu, teach our hearts to soar

And grasp those things which are before,

That after death our life may be

The immortality with Thee!

"The World Is Sad With Hopes That Die"

(1866)

Words by Samuel J. Stone

(1839-1900)