“The Son of Man will send his angels,
Matthew 13:41
and they will collect out of his Kingdom
all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.”
Reflection
Jesus explains the parable of the wheat and weeds to his disciples. The sower of good seed is the Son of Man, the weeds are the children of the Evil One, and the Devil himself is the sower of the weeds. The harvest is the end of the age when the weeds and wheat will be separated, with the weeds being thrown into the fiery furnace, and the righteous being united with God.
Jesus warns that those who are evildoers and cause others to sin will collected out of his heavenly Kingdom, and sent to the fiery furnace. This can be a scary line to ponder, because we might not consider ourselves outright evildoers, but we certainly can cause others to sin.
Do we use our own negative emotions to lash out against others, causing them to have a temper? Do we put others in a near occasion of sin on purpose? Do we promote someone’s sinful behavior? These are all things we need to reflect upon – we do not want our own fallen nature to bring others down, too. We should strive for holiness and repentance, encouraging those we encounter to do the same. Take time to examine your conscience – where is Christ calling you to improve?
Saint of the Day
St. Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception: 1910 – 1946
| “Humility is the queen of all virtues. I consider all occasions to humble myself as a great blessing.” St. Alphonsa |
The Healing Word 