The sacred readings for today’s Mass invite us to meditate on the virtues that clothe the Christian soul (Colossians 3:12-17) and the mysterious patience of Divine Providence (Matthew 13:24-30). Taken together, these passages reveal how God calls us to live in charity while trusting in His ultimate judgment over good and evil.
The Garments of the New Man (Colossians 3:12-17)
St. Paul exhorts the faithful:
“Put ye on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, the bowels of mercy, benignity, humility, modesty, patience…” (Col 3:12)
The Christian is called to be “clothed” in virtues that reflect Christ Himself. The language of putting on virtues recalls baptism, where the believer is mystically clothed in Christ (Galatians 3:27). St. John Chrysostom, commenting on this passage, says:
“As the body is clothed with garments, so must the soul be adorned with spiritual virtues… Mercy and humility are the finest robes of a Christian, for they make him resemble Christ.” (Homilies on Colossians, Homily 8)
These virtues—mercy, humility, and patience—are not merely private dispositions but communal graces that bind the faithful together in unity. St. Paul underscores this when he declares, “Above all these things have charity, which is the bond of perfection” (Col 3:14).
St. Augustine calls charity the soul of all virtue:
“Where charity is absent, there is no true virtue, for all other virtues without it are but empty show.” (Sermon 34 on Charity)
Thus, charity is not just one virtue among many but the essence of all Christian holiness. It is the golden thread that unites humility, patience, and forgiveness into a seamless garment of Christlike love.
The Mystery of the Weeds and the Wheat (Matt 13:24-30)
Our Lord’s parable of the wheat and the tares reveals the patience of God in allowing good and evil to coexist until the time of judgment. The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the Kingdom, and the tares (weeds) are the children of the wicked one.
“An enemy hath done this” (Matt 13:28).
St. Gregory the Great explains that this enemy is the devil, who sows false doctrines and wicked men among the faithful:
“The tares signify the reprobate, who have a false appearance of virtue but whose hearts are filled with iniquity. The patience of God allows them to grow alongside the good, lest the wheat be harmed by premature separation.” (Homilies on the Gospels, Book I, Homily 11)
This patience of God is an invitation to conversion, not an indifference to evil. St. Augustine warns:
“Many at present are tares who later become wheat. And many, again, appear to be wheat, who, in the end, turn to tares.” (Quaestiones Evangeliorum, II.12)
We are reminded that judgment belongs to God alone. Rather than being preoccupied with uprooting sinners before the appointed time, we should focus on cultivating our own spiritual life. The Divine Farmer will separate the wheat from the tares at the harvest—until then, we must trust in His wisdom.
The Liturgical Context: The Triumph of Charity and Divine Providence
The Epiphany season continues to unfold the revelation of Christ to the world. The readings today teach us how to respond to this revelation—by clothing ourselves in the virtues of Christ (Col 3) and by living in faith amidst the tensions of good and evil in the world (Matt 13).
The Church Fathers emphasize two key lessons:
- We must cultivate the interior virtues of mercy, humility, and charity (Col 3:12-14). This is how we remain the wheat of Christ’s field, growing towards the eternal harvest.
- We must trust in God’s providence and not despair over the presence of evil (Matt 13:24-30). The final judgment belongs to God, who will bring all things to their proper end.
Let us, then, heed the words of St. Paul: “Let the peace of Christ rejoice in your hearts” (Col 3:15). Even as tares grow among the wheat, let us be at peace, knowing that in the end, the Lord of the harvest will make all things right.
Closing Prayer
O Lord, grant us the grace to be clothed in the virtues of Christ, that we may grow as wheat in Thy field, ever fruitful in charity. Give us patience to endure the trials of this world, trusting in Thy divine providence. May Thy peace reign in our hearts, and may we bear abundant fruit for Thy eternal Kingdom. Amen.