“If you watch the news or scroll through social media for just a few minutes, it is easy to become discouraged. We see corruption in government. Crime in our communities. Broken families. Dishonesty in business. People attacking one another online. Fake news spreading faster than the truth.

Sometimes we ask, “Lord, why don’t You do something? Why do You allow evil to continue?” That is exactly the question behind today’s Gospel.

In the parable, the servants discover that weeds have grown among the wheat. They immediately say, “Master, shall we pull them up?”

The master replies, “No. Let both grow together until the harvest.”

At first, that answer seems strange. But Jesus is teaching us something beautiful about God.

God is patient. He does not rush to condemn because He is giving people time to change. Every sunrise is another invitation to repent. Every new day is another opportunity to begin again.

That is why we should never mistake God’s patience for His approval. Sometimes people say, “I’m doing wrong, but nothing bad is happening to me. Maybe God doesn’t really mind.” No. God minds very much. He simply loves us too much to give up on us. He is waiting for us to come home.

Perhaps there is someone here today carrying a hidden sin. Maybe it is dishonesty, bitterness, infidelity, pornography, gambling, corruption, hatred, or simply a life that has slowly drifted away from God. The Lord is saying to you today, “Come back while there is still time.” Because the Gospel also reminds us that God’s patience is not forever. Jesus speaks about the harvest, the end of time, when each of us will stand before Him.

One day, our titles will not matter. Our followers on social media will not matter. Our bank accounts will not matter. Even our reputation will not matter. Only one question will matter: Did I become the person God created me to be?

Examine the weeds within

I think one of the greatest dangers in the Philippines today is that we spend so much time pointing out the weeds around us that we forget to examine the weeds within us.

We complain about corrupt officials. But do we cheat on our taxes?

We criticize dishonest leaders. But do we tell lies when it benefits us?

We become angry at crime. But do we forgive those who have hurt us?

We condemn fake news. But do we verify before we share?

It is easier to point a finger than to bend our knees.

Jesus is not asking us today, “Who are the weeds?” He is asking us, “Are you becoming good wheat?”

Conversion always begins with me.

Holiness in Daily Work

There is a beautiful story about St. Francis of Assisi. One day, someone asked him, “If you knew that Jesus would return this afternoon, what would you do?”

St. Francis looked at the man, smiled, and said, “I would finish hoeing my garden.”

Living ready

He did not mean he was unconcerned. He meant he was already trying to live each day ready to meet the Lord. That is how every Christian should live—not in fear, but in faithfulness.

My dear brothers and sisters, today Jesus gives us both a warning and a promise.

The warning is that there will indeed be a harvest. Our lives are moving toward a moment when we will meet God face to face.

But the promise is even more beautiful. Jesus says, “Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father.”

Imagine that! God does not merely want us to survive this life. He wants us to shine forever with Him.

So while there is still time, let us repent. Let us return to prayer. Let us forgive. Let us go to confession. Let us repair broken relationships. Let us choose honesty over corruption, generosity over selfishness, and love over hatred. Because the best time to return to God is not tomorrow. It is today.”