Proper 11A + Don't believe the lie + 7.20.14
M. Campbell-Langdell All Santos, Oxnard (Genesis 28:10-19a; Ps. 139:1-11, 22-23; Romans 8:12-25; Matthew 13:23-30, 36-43) Don’t believe the lie. In today's gospel, we encounter something completely unexpected. I understand from farm folk I know that there is a danger that weeds can grow alongside with wheat. But usually the seed is cleaned before planting, and thereby farmers control their crop. In fact, a nun I know said that one of her favorite memories of her farm-girl childhood was when the workers came to clean the seed. They set up camp in the back yard and cooked and everything out there, a self-contained unit. She loved to watch them. If they neglected to clean the seed, it would grow up alongside kinds of weeds and mustard. Which is interesting because the parable we skipped in the middle of today's passage and hear next week is about how faith is like a mustard seed. But today the gospel is not about cleaning the seed to avoid having weeds grow in with y...