Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”

 

Gospel Reading: Matthew 13:47-53

 

Jesus said to the disciples: "The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth." "Do you understand all these things?" They answered, "Yes." And he replied, "Then every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old." When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there.

 

At first read, today’s gospel reading sounds like it is about the judgment day.  But in reality, it is also about the church and her mission. Jesus tells us that the "Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which gathered fish of every kind." Fish nets are non discriminating. The nets gather everything in the water, the good fish, the bad fish, the trash, and the seaweed. The fish net represents the church. The church is non discriminating. It invites everyone into her net. The church does not care if you are righteous or not. The message of Christ is available to everyone who will join her. It catches all the fish – the good fish and the bad fish. The fishermen then cull the good fish from the bad fish. The good fish are placed in coolers to preserve them while the bad fish are thrown away. Once the net has been cast it is up to the church to teach the ways of Christ, to show everyone the glory of God and to instruct us on moral value and guidance. The mission of the church is to bring us all to Christ so we can share in the glory of the Kingdom of Heaven. However, we must be worthy to enter. The church will bring us there, but it is up to us to make ourselves worthy.  When we participate in the Gospels, the Sacraments, and the Traditions of the church, we are exposed to the teachings of Christ.  But participation is not enough, we must live out the teachings which we are taught through the Gospels, the Sacraments and the Traditions of the Church else we spend eternity separated from the Kingdom of heaven.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord Father, your net has been cast.

May I be worthy of the catch.

I long for the treasure of the kingdom of heaven.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon