Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

Download PDF

Lectionary: 106
Read: Matthew 13:24-43

Gospel Summary
This Gospel is a way of explaining why there is good and evil in the world today. As Jesus explained in the parable, the weeds (or evil) are allowed to grow with the wheat (or good). Only at the harvest (the end time) would God separate the good from the evil just as the farmer will separate the wheat from the weeds in Jesus' parable.

Reflection for Families
How do we answer our children when they ask why bad things happen to good people? This parable of the wheat and the weeds may be a way of explaining why God allows evil, like the weeds, to grow next to goodness in our world today. Evil will not really be gone until the fullness of God's Kingdom.

Bringing the Gospel Into Your Family
Try as a family to think about why God allows weeds to grow among the wheat in today's Gospel story. Either by looking through the newspaper, or sharing news about people in your own community, family or neighborhood, think about where weeds are growing. Consider ways that as a family you can help control the spreading of these weeds. What actions will you take?

Discussion Starters

  1. Even though there are weeds in my life, I try to plant good seeds of wheat by . . .
  2. One kind of weed this Gospel helps me understand better is . . . because . . .
  3. One time that I saw something very small yield something very large was when . . .

Connection to Faith First©
Faith First Grade 1, Chapter 21
Faith First Grade 2, Chapter 23
Faith First Grade 3, Chapter 22
Faith First Grade 4, Chapter 19
Faith First Grade 5, Chapter 20
Faith First Grade 6, Chapter 20
Faith First Junior High—Liturgy and Morality, Chapter 14