July 20, 2014

Wisdom 13: 13-16

12:13 For neither is there any other God but you, who has care of all, to whom you would show that you did not give judgment unjustly.
12:14 Neither will king or tyrant inquire before you about those whom you destroyed.
12:15 Therefore, since you are just, you order all things justly, considering it foreign to your virtue to condemn him who does not deserve to be punished. 12:16 For your power is the beginning of justice, and, because you are Lord of all, you make yourself to be lenient to all.

Romans 8:26-27

8:26 And similarly, the Spirit also helps our weakness. For we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself asks on our behalf with ineffable sighing.
8:27 And he who examines hearts knows what the Spirit seeks, because he asks on behalf of the saints in accordance with God.

Matthew 13: 24-43

13:24 He proposed another parable to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.
13:25 But while the men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds amid the wheat, and then went away.
13:26 And when the plants had grown, and had produced fruit, then the weeds also appeared.
13:27 So the servants of the Father of the family, approaching, said to him: ‘Lord, did you not sow good seed in your field? Then how is it that it has weeds?’
13:28 And he said to them, ‘A man who is an enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Is it your will that we should go and gather them up?’
13:29 And he said: ‘No, lest perhaps in gathering the weeds, you might also root out the wheat together with it.
13:30 Permit both to grow until the harvest, and at the time of the harvest, I will say to the reapers: Gather first the weeds, and bind them into bundles to burn, but the wheat gather into my storehouse.’ ”
13:31 He proposed another parable to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field.
13:32 It is, indeed, the least of all seeds, but when it has grown, it is greater than all the plants, and it becomes a tree, so much so that the birds of the air come and dwell in its branches.”
13:33 He spoke another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of fine wheat flour, until it was entirely leavened.”
13:34 All these things Jesus spoke in parables to the crowds. And he did not speak to them apart from parables,
13:35 in order to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet, saying: “I will open my mouth in parables. I will proclaim what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”
13:36 Then, dismissing the crowds, he went into the house. And his disciples drew near to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
13:37 Responding, he said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of man.
13:38 Now the field is the world. And the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom. But the weeds are the sons of wickedness.
13:39 So the enemy who sowed them is the devil. And truly, the harvest is the consummation of the age; while the reapers are the Angels.
13:40 Therefore, just as weeds are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the consummation of the age.
13:41 The Son of man shall send out his Angels, and they shall gather from his kingdom all who lead astray and those who work iniquity.
13:42 And he shall cast them into the furnace of fire, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
13:43 Then the just ones shall shine like the sun, in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.