Thursday, XVII Week of Ordinary Time
(Matthew 13)
We might call the significance of the two parables in today’s gospel “a matter of emphasis.” Jesus emphasizes the bad fish and the new teaching. The good fish caught in the net of judgment will be put into buckets, and the bad ones thrown away; that is, and here is the emphasis, the bad will be thrown into a fiery furnace with wailing and gnashing of teeth. Jesus more subtly emphasizes the new teaching brought out from the storeroom of wisdom. Rather than give the expected order of old and new, he deliberately places “the new” before “the old.”
The new teaching is the kingdom of heaven which now has come through Jesus’ presence. It brings joy, peace, and happiness to those who repent of their sins and believe in its presence. The old teaching – the Law and its commandments – has not been suspended but our concern goes beyond keeping its statues. The bad fish are those who never repent, that is, never look at their faults, ask forgiveness, and struggle to live Jesus’ new righteousness of love of enemy.
Once again Jesus is challenging the sensibilities of modern humans. Today we like to think that we can do bad things and get away with it. Many have no problem with telling a lie or absenting themselves from Mass on Sundays as long as they in some way help the poor. Jesus is indicating that there is a problem. He would agree with the ancient Greek moralists who said, “First, do no evil.” Likewise, many today have trouble saying, “I’m sorry.” Jesus would want us to do so every time we err. It is part of what he intends when he tells us to repent.
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