💖 HOMILY - JULY 26 💖

First Reading - Exodus 24:3-8 

Gospel - Matthew 13:24-30

God is a God of covenant. He binds Himself to His people not through force, but through love. And yet, the story of salvation is not a story of instant transformation — it is a story of promise, patience, and growth. Today’s readings invite us to reflect on the faithfulness of God in His covenant, and the patience He shows as He waits for us to grow and bear fruit.

In the first reading, Moses comes down from the mountain and presents the words and commandments of the Lord to the people. Their response is immediate: “All that the Lord has said, we will do.” A covenant is then sealed — not with mere words, but with blood, the sign of life and commitment. This is a solemn moment: God pledges Himself to the people, and they pledge their obedience to Him. It is a sacred bond that forms the foundation of Israel’s identity.

But as we know from the wider narrative of Scripture, the people’s response, though sincere, is fragile. Their obedience will falter. Their hearts will wander. And yet, God remains faithful. The covenant is not a contract to be torn up when one side fails; it is a relationship sustained by divine mercy and patience.

This divine patience is the heart of Jesus' parable in the Gospel. He tells of a man who sows good seed in his field, but an enemy comes and scatters weeds among the wheat. When the workers see the weeds growing, they want to pull them out immediately. But the master says, “Let them grow together until the harvest.” He knows that premature judgment may damage the wheat. Time will tell what is good and what is not.

This parable is rich with meaning. It speaks of the mixed condition of the world, and even of our own hearts. Good and evil often grow side by side — in communities, in history, even within us. And yet, God does not act hastily. He does not rush to judge or destroy. Instead, He waits. He gives space for conversion, for change, for hidden growth. What looks like a weed today may yet become fruitful tomorrow.

We live in a world that demands quick results and instant solutions. But the kingdom of God does not unfold in haste. It unfolds through faithfulness, through grace, and through time. God’s covenant love, sealed in the Old Testament by the blood of animals, is fulfilled in the New Covenant by the blood of Christ — blood that speaks not of judgment, but of mercy. And in that covenant, God remains patient with us, calling us to maturity.

Dear brothers and sisters, today we are invited to trust in two things: the faithfulness of God’s covenant and the wisdom of His timing. He sows good seed in us. He nourishes us with His Word and His sacraments. And even when we falter or struggle, He does not give up. He waits for the harvest.

Let us renew our covenant with Him — not in perfect strength, but in sincere desire. Let us be patient with ourselves and with others, allowing God to do His quiet work beneath the surface. And let us believe that, in the end, He will gather the wheat with joy.

May we be found among that harvest — faithful, fruitful, and formed by the slow and steady love of God.