Redirecting Our Energies:

 

The Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time 2026 

July 19, 2026

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Wisdom 12:13-19; Psalm 86; Romans 8:26-27; Matthew 13:24-43

 

 

Through a few more parables Jesus invites people to reflect upon the nature of God’s project in the world. The first parable is one that looks at reality that can be somewhat depressing. Evil exists in the world and we have to accept that there are bad actors. Evil had nothing to do with God’s plans. It is a part of life that offers us choices and calls us to discern the Good Spirit and the evil spirits around us. We have to play the long game because God will do the sorting out in the end. The parable reminds us that we have no direct control over the actions of those who are around us. The parable of the man who sowed good seed was mixed by the actions of an evil man who planted weeds. How unfortunate. We have much work to do.

 

The other two stories give us hope. The story of the mustard seed reminds us that God’s plan will be furthered exponentially by our good works. The third parable reassures us that our good works will rise like the leaven in bread. There is nothing to stop God’s project from expanding. The moral of the story is that Good will always outlast evil in the world. Love will eventually have the last word. Evil actions cannot stop the progress of God’s project. We need your help.

 

We live and move and have our being in the love of the Universal Christ. Love runs beneath our civilization and is the driving force in the growth and development of human thought and creativity. This creative love, this sacred reserve of energy, is limitless, and it is what keeps the Body of Christ growing towards the fullness of life. As Christians, we are called to collaborate in this plan that gives us a higher level of energy. 

 

The time on Cross provided us with the invitation to salvation, which means to bring humanity and all creation to the fullness of life. It means that we have to love more deeply and inclusively. We, therefore, have to direct our energy towards efforts to do good in the world. At the Eucharist, we can offer to Christ the energy we spend in unavoidable suffering so that He may use it to bring more fullness of life to others. Our suffering can be used to bring about salvation for others. We direct our energy by joining our sufferings to those of Christ. 

 

When we are confronted with evil, we have a fundamental choice to discern. How am I going to direct my energies? I can fight evil with more evil, I can fight anger with anger, I can fight hate with more hate, or I can choose to align myself with the leaven of the yeast or the expansion of the mustard seed. We are to bring love into the world where we see hate. We are to bring peace to places where there is dissension. We are to create systems of harmony and collaboration when there is division. We are true to our faith and our covenant with God when we unite people. If actions are divisive, the heart of those humans do not know God. 

 

We are to be active. We can redirect our energy to foster growth in God’s plan of fulfillment. Each time we celebrate Eucharist, Christ presents us with our lives. He wants us to reflect upon and see ourselves as vital parts of God’s plan. We are the yeast. We are the mustard seed. We are the healthy seeds. At the Eucharist, Christ sees the best in you and rejoices. He sees your heart and the core of your goodness. Will you accept how Christ sees you as part of the transformed, consecrated host? You are the consecrated one. Will you see your vital role as the one who needs to produce this creative love that will bring all to the fullness of life?