Gospel (Mt 13,24-30) - At that time, Jesus exposed another parable to the crowd, saying: «The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came, sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. Then when the stem grew and bore fruit, the weeds also sprouted. Then the servants went to the master of the house and said to him, “Master, have you not sown good seed in your field? Where does the weeds come from?”. And he answered them: “An enemy has done this!”. And the servants said to him: “Do you want us to go and collect it?”. “No, he replied, so that it doesn't happen that by collecting the weeds you also uproot the wheat with it. Let both grow together until the harvest and at the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers: First gather the weeds and tie them in bundles to burn them; instead put the wheat in my barn".

The commentary on the Gospel by Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia

The parable of the weeds was perhaps among the clearest evangelical words in some historical moments when religious men saw the rights of truth threatened and felt the need to defend them. It can be said that a long history of religious wars, conducted by Christians, has mainly found in this scriptural text an obstacle capable of inducing reflections, second thoughts and doubts. The owner of the field, in fact, has an absolutely singular behavior. He realizes that an enemy has sown weeds where he had sown the good seed. We could say that the history of Christian tolerance begins from this parable, because it dries out the roots of the evil grass - this truly evil one - of Manichaeism, of the distinction between good and bad, between the just and the unjust. In it there is not only the invitation to unlimited tolerance, but even to respect for the enemy, even if he were not only a personal enemy but of the most just and holiest cause, of God, of justice, of the nation, of freedom. . The mystery remains of this enemy who, while everyone sleeps, sows useless grass among the wheat, which suffocates the good one. It is the mystery of evil which cannot be responded to with another evil, but with the strength of hope, with defending the grain until it bears fruit, stronger than the division with which it must always be measured. It is also the challenge to be more vigilant, not to fall asleep so that evil cannot continue to sow discord. The choice of the master, so far from our logic and our behaviors, establishes a culture of peace. Today, while tragic conflicts proliferate, this evangelical word is an invitation to encounter and dialogue. This attitude is not a sign of weakness or giving in. But to grant every man the possibility of going deep into his heart to rediscover the imprint of God and his justice and change his life.