Wheat & Tares

Today's Gospel reminded me of a theory a friend of mine often mentions regarding the current stormy waters in the Church. That is that, with the proliferation of what seems to me to be straight heresy, we get to see clearly who the good guys are.

Much of the heresy may well be dressed up in sophistry and casuistry, but it is pretty straight insofar as mooted changes directly contradict Christ's very plain words in Scripture as well as the Church's consistent settled teaching on divorce, contraception, homosexuality, you name it really.

For me, when the wind blows like this, we get to see who is who. Who changes with the political wind, and who stands with Christ and the Cross.

Like the darnel and wheat we grow in an environment with people who seem to agree with us on important issues but often do not. Some will pretend to align themselves with the Church to gain power or advantage for themselves. Some are harbouring a dark secret that they will not renounce and when the wind blows in the right direction they will use that as an opportunity to try and push the Church in that direction.

At Mass today I sat next to a stained glass window that bears the image of two of my most beloved Saints, Thomas More and John Fisher. I thought about Fisher as one of the very few bishops in England at the time of Henry VIII who did not capitulate to the King's whims. What extraordinary faith and courage he showed.

Jesus probably told this parable as a response to accusations of the Pharisees that he spent time with sinners, of course Jesus spent time with sinners to call them out of sin. To show them there was a way out of the slavery of sin and to live with God...This is the good news. Even though you may be born poor, or disadvantaged, or crippled or orphaned, you can find your way back to the light because you are created, you are loved and now, you are redeemed in Christ Jesus.

What a chilling fate awaits those who are hiding among us.