“The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field.”
What is the meaning behind the weed in this parable? The weed that is sown in the parable is called cockle. This plant is often found in cereal crops in the Middle East. “It resembles wheat so closely that even to the farmer’s practiced eye it is impossible to tell the two plants apart until the stalks begin to mature, at which stage the cockle can be recognized by its slender ear and emaciated grain; it is quite toxic to humans, and if mixed with flour will ruin bread.” [1] During the time of Jesus, a person would sabotage other person’s crops by purposely sowing cockle to ruin a person’s harvest.
The metaphorical meaning behind this passage as taught by the Fathers of the Church is the sowing of cockle is like the spreading of false doctrine. [2]
Has this metaphor lost any of its’ meaning? One only has to take a look around the modern world for just a minute to realize that this parable has lost none of its’ meaning. It is still relevant even to this day. “There is practically no truth of the Catholic Faith which hasn’t been called into question.” [3] In the parable it seems that alongside every wheat, there also lies the cockle, and so it is in the world, where alongside every truth, there also lies a falsehood, a heresy. The proximity of the wheat to the cockle and the cockle to the wheat can be a blessing. There are many people that in their search for falsehood arrive at the truth that is growing right beside. People who have converted to the Catholic faith have shared that it was in trying to disprove the truth, that they found the truth.
Who sows the good seed? “The good seed is sown by Jesus, the Son of Man not only directly, but through His apostles, and the priests, their successors; the evil seed is sown by the devil, or by wicked men whom he uses as his tools.” [4]
How does this parable represent us individually? How does it represent the Church? Parables typically speak of Jesus’ Kingdom, and this parable is no exception. The world is full of both wheat and weeds and because the Church is in the world it is not excused from this fact. The day Jesus comes back again is the Day of Judgment. He will come to “harvest” and separate the wheat from the weeds - the good souls and those who had done evil.
Jesus explains this parable a little later in Matthew’s Gospel 13:36-43. His explanation helps us to better understand and defend the Church when people ask how the Church can be holy if there are sinners in it. The Church is holy because it was not made by man, but by God. The Church is the Body of Christ and a body is made up of two primary parts, a head and members. In the Body of Christ the Church, Christ the head, is holy. The faithful who are the members of this Body are unholy. The head of the Body is perfect while the members are imperfect. The unholiness and imperfection of the members is not however a permanent state for the pilgrim Church. “United with Christ, the Church is sanctified by him; through him and with him she becomes sanctified. ‘All the activities of the Church are directed, as toward their end, to the sanctification of men in Christ and the glorification of God.’” [5] Members of the Body of Christ will be made holy and will give glory to God. The Church Militant (earth) and the Church Suffering (purgatory) is being made holy in the midst of unholiest and does not at all times give glory to God. When the Pilgrim Church arrives at her destination it will be holy and it will give glory, all members will be what the head is already. The two, both head and members, will be one.
Is it possible for weeds to become wheat? God allows saints and sinners to dwell among each other because sinners need salvation, as do saints. In fact, with God’s grace and a converted heart, a person who has sinned can be reconciled with God and become good wheat. “The Church is therefore holy, though having sinners in her midst, because she herself has no other life but the life of grace. If they live her life, her members are sanctified; if they move away from her life, they fall into sins and disorders that prevent the radiation of her sanctity. This is why she suffers and does penance for those offenses, of which she has the power to free her children through the blood of Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit.” [6] The reality of this parable is that weeds can convert and become wheat, but let us not forget that wheat can become weeds. If there was no chance of wheat falling and becoming a weed, then Satan would not bother to temp us and Saint Paul would not say, “work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” (Philippians 2:12)
It can be at times difficult to understand why God would place good and bad side by side. We can remember that nothing happens unless God wills it or unless God allows it. God wills good. God allows evil. “First of all, the mixture of good and bad is an advantage; it teaches the good not to put their hopes in man, but in God. Then, too, the mercy of our Lord is so great, that at times the very cockle is converted, by diving grace into wheat.” [7] The effect the weeds and wheat have upon each other is mysterious and known to God alone for it is He that is building up His kingdom. “In this world, the kingdom of heaven is in a state of development, of growth, and therefore there is not a clear distinction between the good and the bad; God does not want that; in fact, he allows them to live side by side with each other, both to test the former and strengthen them in virtue, and to give the latter time for conversion. Also there cannot be excluded the possibility that at some point the good seed can degenerate into weeds. Just as in this life no one is definitively a son of the devil, because one can always withdraw from sin, so it is also true that no one is definitively a son of the kingdom, because unfortunately one can be perverted.” [8]
This parable as do most has a way of allowing each person to place themselves personally into them. We understand that the wheat and weeds can be like people, but which one are we? A more appropriate way of looking at it is what good seed have I allowed God to sow in my heart? How have I allowed the devil to sow bad seed in my heart? How am I going to get rid of the weeds on my soul? We must acknowledge the times we have sinned and allowed the evil one to plant seed in our heart. We can have Christ burn the weeds in the great sacrament of Reconciliation. “The Church, however, clasping sinners to her bosom, at once holy and always in need of purification, follows constantly the path of penance and renewal.’ All members of the Church, including her ministers, must acknowledge that they are sinners. In everyone, the weeds of sin will still be mixed with the good wheat of the Gospel until the end of time. Hence the Church gathers sinners already caught up in Christ’s salvation but still on the way to holiness” [9]
Search: Path of Perfection
Why does God allow the wheat and weeds to exist side by side? “Because of His patience and long suffering towards the sinner to whom He gives time for repentance, and because of His love for the just from whom He would not, by weeding out the unjust, take away the occasion of practicing virtue and gathering up merits for themselves; for because of the unjust, the just have numerous opportunities of exercise patience, humility, etc.” [10] It has been said that we should thank the person who most annoys us, or the enemy that most ridicules us, because it is that person that sanctifies us if we choose virtue, instead of vice in dealing with them. “The end of this parable gives a symbolic explanation of why God allows evil to have its way for a time-and for its ultimate extirpation. Evil is to run its course on earth until the end of time; therefore, we should not be scandalized by the presence of evil in the world. It will be obliterated not in this life, but after death; at the Judgment (the harvest) the good will go to heaven and the bad to hell.” [11]
It takes time for the cockle to be distinguished from the wheat. This is true of both individuals as well as heresy. Take for example a person that calls themselves a follower of Christ, but in due time, it is evident that they are no follower of Christ, but rather a follower of their own will. Time is the test of all things and Saint Paul advises us to, “Test everything, retain what is good. Refrain from every kind of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21) Just as the liar is usually caught in his lie, the heretic is caught in his web of lies and destruction.
[1] Fernandez, In Conversation with God 4, 28.1
[2] cf. St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on St. Matthew, 47; St. Augustine, in Catena Aurea
[3] Fernandez, In Conversation with God 4, 28.1
[4] The Church’s Year pg. 98
[5] Catechism of the Catholic Church - 824
[6] Pope Paul VI, CPG 19.
[7] Abbot Aueranger, O.S.B., The Liturgical Year, Book 4
[8] Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, O.C.D., Divine Intimacy, Volume II
[9] CCC 827
[10] The Church’s Year pg. 98
[11] pg. 106 The Navarre Bible Commentary