Daily Gospel Reflection for July 27, 2024

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Scholars have written about the symbolism of these weeds. In my mind, I think of the weeds as temptations and distractions that drain our spiritual lives. If we are too hard on ourselves and try to pull all the weeds at once, we can become discouraged and maybe even give up. But, as a mother, this passage brings to my mind the old adage “pick your battles.”

Of course, we want our children to become saints. But if we try to make them perfect overnight, we can be headed for trouble. They are not perfect, and they never will be. We must pick our battles. Moral issues, of course, come first. But maybe the bedroom can be a little messy. We want to teach some basic courtesy, but maybe table manners can come a little later. Are they doing their homework? Maybe stellar grades aren’t necessary.

If we try to correct our children for everything all at once, they can lose heart. They can start to believe that they are not worth much, that they are always making mistakes. If the wheat is a child’s awareness of how beloved they are by God, we want to be very careful not to damage that. Children cherish their parents’ approval. It is a reflection of the love God has for them.

Perhaps this passage could be about lightening up. Don’t pull out all those weeds and damage the wheat. Don’t correct your child so often that they start to feel unloved. Maybe some of the weeds can wait until they are a little older. Maybe the maturing process will take care of some.

Let’s choose our battles. Perhaps we could emphasize mercy. We know our God does. Perhaps we as mothers could lean that way too.

Ponder:

What weeds in the lives of our children could be left growing until the wheat is more mature?

Pray:

Dear Lord, please give us Your wisdom to know when the weeds in our lives and the lives of our children should be uprooted and when we should wait for your timing.

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