Fr. Bob's Reflection for the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Guest Post

In the 1970s, bumper stickers often carried the phrase, “Stop the world, I want to get off.” It reflected the anxiety of the times – wars, threats of nuclear conflict and a growing sense that the world was spinning out of control. In many ways, not much has changed. We still live in a world marked by division, suffering and sin. Goodness and evil continue to exist side by side. And that raises an important question: how are we meant to respond to the darkness around us? Jesus speaks directly to this reality in today’s Gospel through the parable of the wheat and the weeds. Good and evil grow together in the same field, often even within the same human heart. Some suffering comes from our own choices. Other suffering – sickness, grief and disappointment – arrives uninvited and beyond our control. At times we may wonder: where is God’s Kingdom in all of this? Jesus assures us that it is here. Like wheat planted in a field, the Kingdom continues to grow, even when surrounded by weeds. One temptation is to give in to frustration and despair. We can become cynical, angry, or withdrawn, spending our lives cursing the darkness around us. But Jesus calls us to something greater. Instead of cursing the darkness, we are meant to light a candle. As the Psalmist reminds us, “Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.” Prayer does not lead us away from the world; it sends us back into it with renewed faith and purpose. A powerful example of this is Terry Fox. In 1977, the young Canadian was diagnosed with bone cancer and lost his right leg. Rather than surrendering to bitterness, he decided to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. With an artificial leg and remarkable determination, Terry began his “Marathon of Hope” in 1980. Day after day, he ran through pain and exhaustion, inspiring an entire nation. After 114 days and more than 3,000 miles, he was forced to stop when the cancer spread to his lungs. Although he never completed the journey, his efforts raised millions of dollars and continue to inspire people around the world. If anyone had reason to curse the darkness, it was Terry Fox. Instead, he chose to light a candle. That story mirrors the Gospel. Jesus began the work of bringing light into the world and entrusted that mission to us. We are called to carry His light into places overshadowed by fear, loneliness, hatred and despair. Most of us will never do something as dramatic as Terry Fox. But every one of us can light a candle. A kind word, an act of forgiveness, a gesture of compassion, or a prayer for someone in need are all ways the Kingdom of God continues to grow. The weeds may still exist in the field, but the Gospel reminds us that even the smallest light shines brightly in the darkness. Christ asks us not to run from the world, but to help transform it – one small flame at a time. Yours in Christ, Fr. Robert Warren, S.A. Spiritual Director