Readings this Week
Psalm 86:11-17
Inclina, Domine
11 Teach me your way, O Lord,
and I will walk in your truth; *
knit my heart to you that I may fear your Name.
12 I will thank you, O Lord my God, with all my heart, *
and glorify your Name for evermore.
13 For great is your love toward me; *
you have delivered me from the nethermost Pit.
14 The arrogant rise up against me, O God,
and a band of violent men seeks my life; *
they have not set you before their eyes.
15 But you, O Lord, are gracious and full of compassion, *
slow to anger, and full of kindness and truth.
16 Turn to me and have mercy upon me; *
give your strength to your servant;
and save the child of your handmaid.
17 Show me a sign of your favor,
so that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed; *
because you, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
Matthew 13:24-30,36-43
Jesus put before the crowd another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”
Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!”
Swedenborg Insights
Reflection on this passage from Rev. Brian Kingslake a minister at Church of the Holy City in the late 1960's. You can read more of his ideas
here.
Human Race now Adult
The development of humanity has been similar to the development of each individual. It was in its infancy at the time of the Most-Ancient church (a state of celestial innocence). Then followed the curiosity of childhood and its loss of innocence (the Fall), leading to youth (the Ancient church) and adolescence (the Christian church), followed at last by adult maturity that we are beginning to enjoy today. First suckling at the mother's breast, then strict parental control, then high school, then university— always under the authority of others until at twenty-one the young person "comes of age." There is a big family party; they are now answerable to nobody but themselves. From that time onwards they are expected to plan their own life, as they want it to be.
So with the human race. With the Last Judgment in 1757 (
The Last Judgment
), it gained its maturity. True, society is at present in a state of turmoil as it adjusts to its adult responsibilities; but humanity itself is now in control of the world, for good or ill. The responsibility rests on its shoulders; it will be up to all of us how the human race develops in the future or whether it develops at all! Humanity has had the "coming of age" ceremony, and has been given the key of the universe. Let us hope that, with the Lord's help, we will use it wisely!
Rev. Brian Kingslake
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