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The Christmas Cycle
into the field of the Lord. This spirit quietly grew, and worldliness spread from individuals to
communities, and eventually invaded even the communities of religious. Even today the spirit
of the world, the fruit of the cockle, is widespread in the Church.
“Wilt thou that we go and gather it up?” The servants of the lord are eager to destroy the
cockle; but the lord answers: “No, lest perhaps gathering up the cockle, you root up the wheat
also together with it. Suffer both to grow until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will
say to the reapers: Gather up first the cockle and bind it into bundles to burn, but the wheat
gather ye into my barn” (Gospel).
The Lord is also Master of the cockle. He has the power to make use of it for the salvation
of the wheat among which it grows. “Think not that the evil of this world is without purpose,
or that God cannot change it into something good. The evil one is permitted to live, either that
he may thereby better his own condition, or that others may be helped to become holy by him”
(St. Augustine). The history of the Church furnishes many consoling illustrations of this truth.
Every period of laxity in the church is followed by a period of reform and fervor. There is always
much of the world and its spirit among the members of the Church, but Christ and His spirit are
there also. “Jesus Christ, yesterday, and today, and the same forever” (Heb 13:8), is still living in
the Church and ruling it. He makes His presence known in many marvelous ways. “The right
hand of the Lord hath wrought strength; the right hand of the Lord hath exalted me; I shall not
die, but live, and shall declare the works of the Lord” (Offertory).
“Power is made perfect in infirmity” (2 Cor 12:9). It is true that the Church does suffer much
because of the cockle that grows within her, but composed as she is of a human element and a
divine element, she will never be without the cockle. She does not become despondent because
of the evil that she sees in her children. Although many of her children are recalcitrant, she
bears with them patiently, trusting in Him who commanded, “suffer both to grow.” The Church
knows that Christ will ensure the growth of her virtuous members in spite of the evil brethren
who surround them. We share this faith and confidence of Holy Mother the Church. We may
deplore the fact that there are many in the Church who are not virtuous, but we remember
the promise of our blessed Savior, “I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the
world” (Mt 28:20).
Prayer
O Lord, we beg Thee in Thy never-failing goodness to guard Thy family, and since it depends
entirely on the hope of Thy heavenly grace, defend it always by Thy protection. Through Christ
our Lord. Amen.
Monday
The Lord sowed good seed in His field, but the enemy came and sowed cockle among the wheat.
Yet the Lord commanded, “suffer both to grow.”
The field in the Gospel is an image of my soul. Christ the Savior has chosen this field for Himself.
He blessed it and prepared it for cultivation and sowed good seed in it. He prepared it for growth
in virtue with the infusion of the virtues of faith, hope, and charity, and with other supernatural
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