Jesus uses images to help us understand God’s vision for our world and how we should act. It shouldn’t be surprising that Jesus uses many agricultural images, since that is how many people experienced the world in His time. In the present day, we aren’t as familiar with these agricultural settings, so Jesus’ images are harder to understand. For the readings for the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, take the image that Jesus uses in the Gospel; don’t just think about it, but play around with the image and what you might know about lawn care or gardening.

The person who noticed the weeds in the passage asks for permission to quickly uproot the weeds so they don’t ruin the future harvest. The householder has the wisdom to ask the harvester to hold off pulling the weeds. But you might ask: What’s the wisdom in that decision? Wouldn’t it be better to get rid of the weeds as quickly as possible so that the nutrients in the soil won’t be wasted on the weeds?

Play with the image, and allow it to become more than weeds, but an image of various people and situations of the world. Imagine yourself in the image of the difference between good and evil, the difference between what looks like God’s Word and what doesn’t. Remember how quickly those of us of faith are wanting to rid the world of evil as we experience it in our lives. Now, remember times in your life when you were willing to uproot and get rid of someone or something that appeared to be evil at the moment, but later became a blessing. Isn’t it true that we are sometimes quick to judge someone’s worthiness or goodness by exterior appearance or just one experience? Those of us who attempt to live a good life think that we know what holiness looks like. We think we know who God can use to bring about the kingdom. We also know that God’s wisdom and who He chooses to be prophets and teachers are often the very people that we would judge as unworthy.

We have an invitation this weekend to examine our knee-jerk reactions to people and situations in our lives and to pray for the ability to become conscious of our habitual reactions. We can pray to become more clear about the motivations of our own minds and hearts, and how they are sometimes so far away from the wisdom of God. St. Paul says that God chose him to be a disciple because he was the greatest of sinners. St. Peter was one who had a chance to stand up and witness to his relationship with Jesus and betrayed Him instead. How many of us would’ve been quick to shower St. Peter and St. Paul with shame and guilt because of our first impression of them? How many of us would want to pull those weeds before they had a chance to mature?

We are encouraged to practice the virtues in our lives. What virtues could help us to not pull the weeds so quickly? Maybe we could pray for patience, forbearance, compassion and right judgment. These are gifts that each of us has been given. Practicing something is what helps us have it at hand when we need it. Practice helps it become unconscious, a form of habit in our lives. Can we commit ourselves to practice the virtues that keep us from pulling the weeds too soon, especially those whom we have judged to be unworthy?

Father Donald Wester is pastor of All Saints Parish in St. Peters.