In the liturgical cycle of the traditional Roman Rite, Feria VI infra Hebdomadam V post Epiphaniam (Friday of the Fifth Week after Epiphany) presents us with two profound passages: Colossians 3:12-17 and Matthew 13:24-30. These readings, when placed in the light of the wisdom of the Church Fathers, invite us to reflect on the interior transformation required of Christians and the patient endurance necessary in a world where good and evil grow side by side.
“Put on Therefore…”: The Garment of Christian Virtue
In his Epistle to the Colossians, 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).
This language of “putting on” virtue echoes earlier exhortations to be clothed with Christ (cf. Rom. 13:14, Gal. 3:27). St. John Chrysostom explains that Paul is urging the Christian to wear virtue as a garment, because just as clothes make a person externally presentable, virtues make the soul beautiful before God. He writes:
“If you are clothed with compassion, with kindness, with humility, no one will be able to take away the beauty that is within you.” (Homily on Colossians)
St. Paul continues by saying that charity binds all these virtues together (Col. 3:14), much like a belt secures a garment. St. Augustine, in his commentary, notes:
“Where there is love, there is peace. Love is the bond of unity, the perfection of virtue. Without it, all other virtues are nothing.” (Sermon 169)
In this passage, we are reminded that external observance of faith must be rooted in true interior charity, which alone gives life to virtue. It is not enough to be patient, humble, or meek in an external sense—our hearts must be transformed by Christ, so that His peace may reign in us (Col. 3:15).
The Wheat and the Tares: The Mystery of Divine Patience
The Gospel passage from St. Matthew presents the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares (Matt. 13:24-30). The Lord describes a field where both good wheat and harmful tares (weeds) grow together. When the servants ask if they should pull up the tares immediately, the master responds:
“No, lest perhaps gathering up the cockle, you root up the wheat also together with it. Let both grow until the harvest…” (Matt. 13:29-30).
This passage speaks to the patience of God in allowing good and evil to coexist in the world until the final judgment. St. Gregory the Great, reflecting on this, says:
“Often, those who are tares today may become wheat tomorrow. If we were to uproot sinners too soon, we might remove those whom God intends to convert.” (Homily on the Gospels, 11)
Similarly, St. Augustine warns against a rash judgment of others, pointing out that only God truly knows the state of a person’s soul:
“In this world, many are at first cockle who afterwards become good grain. If these were taken away too soon, the Church would lose many saints.” (Quaestiones Evangeliorum, II, 12)
This parable serves as a profound lesson in patience and humility. The tendency of the human heart is to want immediate justice, to desire to see the removal of the wicked. Yet, Christ calls us to trust in His divine providence and His plan for conversion. Just as God is patient with sinners, so too must we cultivate patience, entrusting all things to His judgment.
Living in the Spirit of the Gospel
Both of these passages converge in a powerful lesson: we are called to holiness, but we must also live with patience and charity in an imperfect world. We are not called to be passive in the face of evil, but neither should we seek to destroy it in a way that lacks divine wisdom. Instead, we must:
- Be clothed in virtue – Let our lives be adorned with the virtues St. Paul describes, not only externally but in the depth of our souls.
- Trust in God’s plan – The presence of evil should not shake our faith, for God, in His infinite wisdom, permits it for a time.
- Cultivate charity above all – Love is the bond that holds all things together. Even in a world of both wheat and tares, charity must guide our actions.
As we continue in this liturgical season, may we take to heart St. Paul’s exhortation:
“Whatsoever you do, in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” (Col. 3:17)
Let us do all things with a heart set on Christ, rooted in virtue, and trusting in the providence of God, who alone will separate the wheat from the tares at the appointed time.