Tuesday
of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
(Jeremiah
14:17-22; Matthew 13:36-43)
Today’s explanation of the parable of the wheat and the
weeds can be read as a commentary on Jesus’ command, “’Do not resist evil.’” At least as much as evil does not cause harm to
the innocent, Jesus wants his followers to tolerate it. He indicates in the parable that the reason
for non-resistance is that the innocent will suffer when evil is resisted. The parable also makes clear that God, at the
end of time, will sort the good from the bad.
He will reward the former for their virtue and punish the latter for
their vice.
Examples are not hard to find. The Church now teaches that the death penalty
is no longer helpful. It was tolerated
for ages as the state acted in the place of God to protect its people. But that substitution has always been open to
abuse. Now the Church recognizes the
possibility of successfully incarcerating criminals to protect the public. Another example of an evil that is tolerated
for a time is the restrictions imposed in face of the novel corona virus. Some resent having to stay at home and wearing
facemasks in public. The state imposes this
kind of evil to fulfill its responsibility of keeping people safe. Regarding pandemic restrictions, the
imposition, gratefully, should not last very long.
It is possible that not resisting evil makes us both stronger
and more sensitive people. We learn humility
when we submit voluntarily to others’ will.
We also better understand the much greater deprivations people like
refugees must endure. The key to reaping
such benefit is closeness to Jesus. We join
in his suffering for the good of all. We
also find strength from the bread he gives us to bear our cross.
