The Trouble With Weeds - Part Two

I began the reflection on the parable of the Sower with the title, "The Trouble With Weeds" which is another way of saying, "The Problem of Evil" the great stumbling stone to belief in the goodness of God. The bible begins with the account of creation. In the beginning there is nothing, only God, then God begins to create. After each stage of creation it concludes with, “And God saw that it was good”. The last to be created is mankind, created in the image and likeness of God; they are given the unique vocation, “Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it”. Then the story concludes, “God looked at everything he had made, and found it very good.” Then God rests on the seventh day.

In the parable of the Sower, Jesus characterizes the creation story with, “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field". The sower is God, the field is God's good creation, but more specifically the mind and heart of man, and the good seed sown is mankind's true purpose, his vocation to become what God intends for him, his truth - all of which is VERY GOOD. The sower having completed sowing his field with what is good, only what belongs in it, rests. Then comes the problem of the weeds?

Wheat alone belongs in the field. Only true wheat can produced the grain that when milled into flower can nourish and sustain life. The seed of the tares, the weed, is toxic. If consumed it harms life and can kill, it does not belong in the field of wheat. It finds its way into the field not by God's (the sower) design but by another's choice. What this tells us is that the true purpose of the sower can be accepted or interfered with, can be rejected. There is a freedom to choose.

Everything in creation conforms to the purpose for which it was made. But mankind and the heavenly beings (the angels) have been given intelligence with which to know and understand this and a free will to collaborate in this design by choice. However, no other plan will work, it will be fruitless and fail, ending in self destruction. Revelation tells us that some of the heavenly beings were the first to reject God's purpose for themselves in creation, causing them to become a failed, toxic, and corrupting presence in creation. These in turn, set about to corrupt mankind, influencing man to reject God's design, and to use his freedom to introduce his own design and purpose. ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where have the weeds come from?’ He answered, ‘An enemy has done this. -’

To have an active spiritual life is to recognize the true nature of creation and our unique place within it. Our life is not some willy-nilly invention of our own to pass the time, it is a real, thoughtful collaboration with God to bring us to our ultimate purpose, union with God, in a loving relationship, for all eternity. Each day sees us asking, "What is your will for me this day, how shall I serve you - what 'good seed' will I sow in my heart?" In essence, this is the practice of discernment.

Ignatian Spirituality - Daily Examine - LINK