St. Peter Chrysologus, bishop  & doctor 

＊＊＊1st Reading＊＊＊

Exodus 33: 7-11; 34: 5b-9 ,28

 Moses then took the Tent and pitched it for himself outside the camp, at a distance from it, and called it the Tent of Meeting.

Whoever sought Yahweh would go out to the Tent of Meeting outside the camp.  And when Moses went to the tent all the people would stand, each one at the entrance to his tent and keep looking towards Moses until he entered the tent.

Now, as soon as Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and remain at the entrance to the tent, while Yahweh spoke with Moses. When all the people saw the pillar of cloud at the entrance to the tent, they would arise and worship, each one at the entrance to his own tent.

Then Yahweh would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his neighbor, and then Moses would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua, son of Nun, would not leave the tent. And Yahweh came down in a cloud and stood there with him, and Moses called on the name of Yahweh.

Then Yahweh passed in front of him and cried out, “Yahweh, Yahweh is a God full of pity and mercy, slow to anger and abounding in truth and loving kindness.  He shows loving kindness to the thousandth generation and forgives wickedness, rebellion and sin; yet he does not leave the guilty without punishment, even punishing the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.”

 Moses hastened to bow down to the ground and worshiped.  He then said, “If you really look kindly on me, my Lord, please come and walk in our midst and even though we are a stiff-necked people, pardon our wickedness and our sin and make us yours.”  Moses remained there with Yahweh forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the Covenant – the Ten Commandments.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

Matthew 13: 36-43

 Then he sent the crowds away and went into the house. And his disciples came to him saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”  Jesus answered them, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.  The field is the world; the good seed are the people of the Kingdom; the weeds are those who follow the evil one.  The enemy who sows the weeds is the devil; the harvest is the end of time and the workers are the angels.

Just as the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so will it be at the end of time.  The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom all that is scandalous and all who do evil.  And these will be thrown in the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  Then the just will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. If you have ears, then hear.

 

Reflection gospel：

“THEN THE JUST WILL SHINE…IN THE KINGDOM OF THEIR FATHER.”We may be disheartened because of the perennial suffering, persecution and violence happening in every part of the globe. Those who intentionally inflict them do not discriminate; everyone is a prospect. And dastardly actions are unrelenting. Jesus’ words to the disciples is a source of hope in this global human predicament.

Jesus, on the one hand, is strong in his message that in the last days those who allow themselves to become instruments of the evil one will not go unpunished. “Persecution and oppression will not last forever; evil doers will eventually suffer the fate their behavior deserves” (Brendan Byrne).

Jesus explication of the parable, on the other hand, assures those who promote peace, justice, and love their heavenly reward. He gives us not only consolation but also hope – hope that our work of advancing the reign and love of God awaits a glorious price. This is our motivation to continue doing good and working against any form of injustice, always becoming a voice of the voiceless.