By Francis Gayang csc –
Readings: Ex 33: 7-11; Mt 13: 36 – 43
When products are designed by manufacturers, they have a clear purpose. If the product is not made well or not as per the blueprint, it is discarded. Similarly, I believe that God has formed each one of us with a clear blueprint in mind. We are not existing by accident or by ourselves. We are here on earth with a responsibility to care for each other and as representatives of God. Our duty is to be productive and useful to create a better world. And if we are not able to be productive, there must be weeds growing in our hearts.
The sad reality of our life is that we have enjoyed the growing weeds in our hearts. We allow ourselves to be influenced by these weeds – the weeds of self-interest, greed, jealousy, pride, arrogance, lust, and disregard towards the less privileged. These weeds can gradually numb our human soul. If the essence of our humanness is lost, we are no more valuable than waste to be thrown away.
Our duty, therefore, is to be always like a watchful alert servant. We cannot deny weeds in our life, but we can prevent them from destroying the good crop in us. The bad weeds are to be eliminated for good crops to bear fruits in plenty. Our life on earth is a field of battle between the instinct to grow wild like a jungle tree and a desire to be a good tree growing under the care and assurance of the master.