The Word God Spells

Matthew 13: 36-43
Ex 33:7-11; 34:5-9.28 / Ps 103:6-13

The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom.
(Matthew 13:37-38)

May we be counted to belong
Among the good seeds God has sown;
To fight for justice, right the wrong,
And make His Word to others known.

When Jesus left the crowd, His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”

Reflection

Who are the “sons of the kingdom” that our Lord was referring to? Quite obviously, Jesus was referring to the apostles, and the saints who followed them. And among the greatest seeds that God sowed on earth, one of the most remarkable in terms of having produced bountiful harvests was St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus, (the Jesuits), in whose honor the Church is celebrating this day.

Ever since St. Ignatius was converted from the life of a courtier, gambler and soldier, he had always wanted to teach, even getting imprisoned twice for it, as only the ordained clergy then were allowed to preach the faith to others. When he finally received his ordination, he and his companions travelled to Rome where Pope Paul III gave his formal approval for them to establish their own community -– to preach and teach scripture and theology. Initially, they called their community the Company of Jesus, but their order was later to be known as the Society of Jesus. Unanimously elected as the first Superior General of the order, St. Ignatius worked in his tiny quarters in Rome, writing the Society’s Constitutions and sending letters in the thousands to his fellow Jesuits all over the world to direct the affairs of the Society. He also wrote to lay men and women who sought the spiritual life. In his own lifetime, the Society of Jesus grew from eight men to a thousand members. The Jesuits founded colleges and seminaries all over Europe and in other countries like Brazil and Japan. Today, the Society’s universities are scattered all over the world.

The Jesuits of St. Ignatius have always taught that we must strive for excellence in every event, relationship, and endeavor of human life — whether in the daily grind of earning a living, raising children, teaching students, working for the community, or in spreading the Good News of salvation. As a student from grade school to college in the Ateneo institution, I believe the Ignatian heritage of working, Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam, has been the greatest influence in my life in helping spread the values and ideals of our Lord Jesus Christ to others through the skills that my Jesuit teachers had taught me. From the single seed of St. Ignatius Loyola, millions of good seeds all over the world continue to be harvested throughout the generations.

Thank You, dear God, for Your servant, St. Ignatius Loyola, whose life on earth gave, and continue to give hope to millions not only for the benefits of education, but for their professions where his followers strive to excel, all for Your greater glory. Amen.