Taking the gospel readings for the past two weeks and this week’s gospel reading together, we have heard almost all of the 13th chapter of Matthew’s gospel. This chapter is rather unique because it presents no less than seven parables, and they all talk about the kingdom of heaven. We might be inclined to interpret this as parables about heaven, and this is a common misconception that goes unchecked because these parables are so well known that we might miss important details.
If you look at the parable of the wheat and the weeds (from last week’s gospel) or the parable of the fishing net (this week’s gospel), it should be clear that they could not be referring to heaven because surely evil would never be allowed to be in heaven. The separation of the wicked from the righteous takes place before we are able to enter into the presence of God in heaven.
What then is meant with ‘the kingdom of heaven’? It refers to both a state and a time. We know that Jesus came to establish the kingdom of heaven, and this was accomplished through his suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension. Through this redemptive sacrifice, the state of the world changed and a new time was ushered in: the kingdom of God. In the same sense that we sometimes refer to time periods in terms of rulers (the time of the pharaohs, the rule of Charlemagne, …), we can refer to the time since the crucifixion as the “kingdom of heaven” or the “end times”.
If you read the parables from this perspective, they suddenly make a lot more sense. They explain aspects of this kingdom of heaven: its tiny, humble origins and its steady growth (parable of the mustard seed, parable of the yeast); its magnificence (parable of the treasure, parable of the pearl); its worldwide scope (parable of the net); and its saving force (parable of the sower, parable of the wheat).
The grain of mustard seed is the preaching of the Gospel and the Church, which from very small beginnings spreads throughout the world. The parable refers to the universal scope and spread of the Kingdom of God. And just as leaven gradually ferments all the dough, so does the Church spread the Good News of our redemption throughout the world. And as Christians, we take part in that mission. After all, we are to be the leaven that acts upon the world.
But this Good News also carries with it an important realization: there is good and there is evil. Our sinful nature requires us to actively choose to pursue the good over evil, righteousness over sin. There will be a final judgment for each and every one of us (as expressed in both the parable of the wheat and the weeds, and the parable of the fishing net). There will come a time when the wicked will be separated from the righteous, and the wicked will be thrown in the fiery furnace. It is not a threat… Surely God, as a loving Father, would never threaten us. But it is an objective fact – and we ought to be aware of it. We cannot claim to be caught unaware.
We are far from perfect, but thankfully the Lord our God is good and forgiving, merciful and kind. The gift he offers us – eternal life in heaven – is beyond compare. In the parable of the treasure and the parable of the pearl Jesus shows us the majesty of the kingdom of heaven. The treasure reflects the abundance of gifts that await us in the kingdom of heaven, and the pearl reflects the beauty of the kingdom. The treasure is stumbled upon, the pearl is found after a lengthy search. Isn’t that how we often experience faith, vocation, true wisdom? Sometimes it just comes to us, and other times it is the result of an actual search. But whatever the means by which we obtain it – it is worth more than anything we have.
The kingdom of heaven is at hand. The parables make it very clear that the kingdom of heaven is not something to look forward to, but rather something that exists all around us. We are living in it. Let us embrace our faith and our mission, and look forward to the completion of the final stage of perfection: the sanctification of the earth, and life everlasting in the heavenly kingdom.