July 19, 2026 - 16th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells the familiar parable of the wheat and the weeds. A farmer sows good seed in his field, but during the night an enemy secretly plants weeds among the wheat. When both begin to grow, the servants want to pull out the weeds immediately. Surprisingly, the master tells them to wait until the harvest, lest they uproot the wheat as well. This parable reminds us that our world—and even our own hearts—is a mixture of good and evil. We often wish God would remove all suffering, injustice, and sin immediately. Yet God, in His wisdom and mercy, is patient. He gives people time to repent, to grow, and to be transformed by His grace.
It is easy to focus on the faults of others or to become discouraged by the evil we see around us. Jesus invites us instead to examine our own hearts. Are we allowing His Word to take root and bear good fruit? Are we growing in faith, hope, and love? Rather than judging others, we are called to cooperate with God’s grace so that our lives may become a witness to His goodness.
The first reading from the Book of Wisdom describes God’s mercy. Although He is all-powerful, God governs with kindness and gives sinners the opportunity to repent. True strength is not found in harshness but in compassion. God treats us with patience, and He asks us to extend that same patience and mercy to one another.
St. Paul reminds us in the second reading that we are not alone in our spiritual struggles. Even when we do not know how to pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with “inexpressible groanings.” God understands the deepest desires of our hearts and strengthens us in our weakness.
As we continue our journey of faith, let us resist the temptation to become impatient or discouraged. God is always at work in our lives and in our world. He gives us grace to sow the good seed of His Kingdom through acts of kindness, forgiveness, generosity, and love. May we open our hearts to His grace so that, when the harvest comes, we may be found among the good wheat gathered into His everlasting Kingdom for the reward of eternal happiness with Him.
God bless everyone always!!!
Fr. Stan
