Message from Augie

               We like believing we know what happened.  We like believing we know who is right and wrong.  We like problems that can be solved and situations that can be fixed.  When something appears out of place, our instinct is to remove it.  When we think we understand the situation, we are eager to act.

                The servants in today’s Gospel lesson felt exactly the same way.  In the first example weeds overtake the crop.  The question asked, “Do you want us to pull them up?”  The farmers answer, “No for in gathering you would respect the wheat.   Let them grow together.”

                Jesus does not direct us to the enemy but to the servants.  The roots of the wheat and weeds have become intertwined.  Patience is needed.

                The parable is not asking us to ignore evil.  It is asking us to be humble about how much we truly know.

                This is a difficult lesson for us because we often equate quiet decisions with strong leadership. Yet some of the wisest people we have known were the least hurried.  They listened longer.  They asked another question.  They resisted the temptation to reach conclusions before we understood the whole story.  Wisdom has always had a patient quality about it.

                If we need God’s help to pray rightly, perhaps we should be able to assume we understand another person’s heart completely.

              SO THE QUESTION:  ARE WE WILLING TO LIVE WITH THE HUMILITY OF                                                                          UNFINISHED  KNOWLEDGE?

PRAYER TO ST. JUDE:  St. Jude, apostle of Christ, the church honors and prays to you universally as the patron of hopeless and difficult cases.   Pray for us in our needs.   Make use, we implore you of this powerful privilege given to you to bring visible and speedy help where help is needed.  Pray that we humbly accept the trials and disappointments and mistakes which are a part of our human nature.   Help us to see the reflection of the suffering of Christ in the trials and tribulations of our lives.   Let us see in a spirit of great faith and hop the part we even now share in the joy of Christ’s resurrection and which we long to share fully in heaven.   Intercede that we may again experience this joy in answer to our present needs.   If it is God’s dire for us (here make your request)  we know our prayers will be heard through your intercession.  AMEN