A reflection on Matthew 13: 24 – 30: The Saintly parents
St. Anna and St. Joachim abounded with Divine virtues…
Praise be to Jesus Christ
Once there lived a mother Sonam and her son Aditi who worked hard to earn their living. She cared her son and fulfilled all his needs and desires. When he grew up, he started to steal things and bring home. His mother hasn’t corrected him from those behaviours. Years passed away and Aditi was caught in a crime for a major theft. He was sentenced to death. Approaching his last moments, he was asked about his last wish. He replied that he has to see mother and wants to take away her nose. All were shocked at this wish and asked the rationale behind it. It was quite shocking and an eye-opener for all the audience. He told, if my mother has corrected me, things would not have turned out this way.
The mother failed to pull out the weeds that were strewed in her son’s life. In today’s gospel Jesus too reminds about the necessity of discerning between good and evil. The Church celebrates the feast of St. Anne and St. Joachim who nurtured Little Mary without allowing the world to pollute her. It was the priorities that they placed in their life, the rules they held, perseverance they carried succeeded them to enter the majesty of paradise and be the parents of God’s mother. It was their vigilance, patience, and perseverance that distinguished them from others and bear fruit …The Co-redeemer.
As mentioned in the passage the “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field” (Mt.13/24). Previous days, we have meditated on the good soil which was well-fertile and tilled for receiving the seeds. But an unforeseen event took place here : ” While everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared” (Mt 13/25). St. Anne and Joachim were blessed with many graces and resources. They were devout who always prioritized God in their lives. But eventually lamented over their childlessness. This can be considered as a weed that might have taken these couples away from God. But the spirit filled them with Vigilance to discern God’s will. Joachim, outpoured his heart at temple and Anne promised God that, if given a child, she would dedicate it to the Lord’s service. Vigilance aided them to get out of all sorrows.
Patience is an essential virtue that highlights trust in God’s timing. Even offering prayers and promises nothing turned out all of a sudden in Anne’s and Joachim’s life. These saintly couples awaited patiently for God’s time. It accomplishes God’s plan over human plans and imitations. As St. Paul writes “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8/28). Because patience has a lot of intentions and it proves who we are. In Gospel when the servants asked regarding pulling out weeds, Owner replied “No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time, I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn” (Mt.13/29-30). The faithful parents were rewarded for their patience at the end with the most Blessed Child…Queen of Heaven.
This patience shown at the initial stages did not fade off in their lives. They were blessed with Perseverance. At the earlier stages, it is difficult to distinguish between weed and a plant. But as they grew bigger the task is easier. The persevering fruit bearing plants will be considered for further cultivation and harvest. “The one who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Mt.24/13). This differentiates saints from unsaintly. The winners do not do different things, but they do things differently. As St. Josemaria Escriva rightly quotes: To begin is for everyone. To persevere is for saints”. Being persevering in their call, they parented her in wisdom and maturity. Their perseverance gifted humanity: Mother of God.
The virtues that we cherish is beneficial in our personal life and in our relationships too. When Anne and Joachim became virtuous it formed a graceful next generation. The parents who are primary care-givers should impart values to their children, formators should correct their candidates, Couples should give a space for improvement among themselves, teachers should initiate a holistic development of their students…If we fail in pulling out the weeds at the earliest, we too will be blamed as the son in the story leaving us in despair. The life is a mixture of trials and victories, sorrows and happiness, questions and answers. We cannot take a stagnant position but it demands dynamics and improvement. In order to fight this victoriously we must actively engage in the spiritual battle against evil and the world. Let us have a self-examination… Am I vigilant of the deviations that happen in my life? Am I patient enough to myself? Do I persevere in my day-to-day decisions? Where is my stand in pointing out faults gently? As Pope Alexander stated: “To error is human and to forgive, divine”. So let us trust in the forgiveness of God and be merciful to yourself. Rush to the confessional at times you fail.
Let St. Anne and St. Joachim help us to grow in His Heavenly Soil and prepare as to attain Glorious reward of paradise as they did for Little Mary.
Prayer : Lord, Give me the grace to start again…
