Our Sabbath Scripture Stories – 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle A

Read or listen to this Sunday’s Mass readings here.

  • Wisdom 12:13, 16-19
  • Romans 8:26-27
  • Matthew 13:24-43

Mrs. Pauline had been whispering instructions to certain members of the family all morning.  Something was up for this Sunday morning’s Gospel reading.  Giggles and hushed tones were all around.  This should be fun!

Dad gathered all the members of the family into the living room.  Four of the Pauline kids were to have special parts this morning. 

“Okay, four of you kids are going to help us with the Gospel reading for today,” Mom started.  “You each know your part.  When Dad reads your section, make your entrance, okay?”  Peter, Vincent, Lucy, and even Baby Ben all nodded in agreement.

Dad began, “ ‘The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field.’ ”  (Matthew 13:24b)

Lucy quickly threw a bright green cloth over her head and knelt down in the middle of the living room.  Mom had glued fresh leaves on the cloth, so Lucy looked like a plant.  In keeping with the character, Lucy pretended to be growing out of the ground.

Dad kept reading, “ ’While everyone was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.  When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well.’ ”  (Matthew 13:25-26)

Enter Vincent, reminiscent of the cartoon villain, Snidley Whiplash, all dressed in a dingy cloth with hardened brown leaves glued on.  Slyly, he knelt next to Lucy and pretended to be growing, too.

Dad continued, “ ‘The slaves of the householder came to him and said, “Master, did you not sow good seed in your field?  Where have the weeds come from?”  He answered, “An enemy has done this … Let them grow together until  harvest, then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, ‘First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ “ (Matthew 13:27-28a, 30)

Both Lucy and Vincent continued “growing” until Mom gestured for them to stop.  Next, Peter took Baby Ben and stepped inside the big walk-in closet next to the living room.  All attention turned to them as Dad began again, “ ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field.  It is the smallest of all the seeds.’ ”  (Matthew 13:31b-32a)

After a few shuffling noises, the door swung open.  Baby Ben was sitting on the inside of the closet with another one of Mom’s “shrub” costumes on.  He cooed, Mom closed the door again, and Dad went on, “ ‘Yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants.  It becomes a large bush, and the “birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.” ’ ” (Matthew 13:32b)

The door re-opened.  Ben was gone, and there stood Peter in a full-length “shrub” costume!  The littlest mustard seed, Ben, had grown into the biggest of all shrubs—ta-da!  It was Peter!  What made this scene even funnier was that Mom had pinned on a corny looking stuffed bird on Peter’s shoulder!  The rest of the family roared their approval!

Dad finished the reading and closed his Bible. 

“I hope that helped you visualize a couple of our parables for this morning,” he told them. 

“That’s right, Kids,” Mom added.  “Despite our staging, Jesus is teaching us some important lessons.”

“Like at the harvest, Jesus will separate the good from the bad,”  Vincent said, thinking of the two kinds of wheat.

“And that small things can turn into great things!” added Lucy, referring to the mustard seed re-enactment.

“That’s right, Kids, “ Mom said.  “Jesus tells us that when the Son of Man appears, He will separate the evil ones from the righteous ones.  The evil ones will be thrown into the furnace of fire, and the righteous ones will shine like the sun!”

Vincent whipped off his “bad seed” costume, and threw it down. 

“I know which plant I want to be!” he said.

“And what is that?”  Dad asked him.

Clicking his fingers, Vincent couldn’t help but answer in a rhyme:

Seeds not weeds grow small to tall;
plant me, Lord, to be the best of all!

Would you prefer a print a copy of this story?

Cycle A, 16 OT, SSSDownload

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