{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Reflections","title":"Friday of the Nineteenth Week After Trinity","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":382,"description":"October 16, 2026\n\nToday's Reading: Matthew 13:24-43\nDaily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 14:1-2, 22-23, 14:28-15:15; Matthew 13:24-43\n\n“He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’” (Matthew 13:28-30)\n\nIn the Name + of Jesus. Amen.\n\nThe summer we bought our house, I wanted to plant a garden. So, I got a rototiller (very fun machine by the way) and tilled up a big old patch of soil, one that got a lot of sun and lots of water when it rained. I got some good seed from the store, planted it in nice, neat little rows with little signs that declared that pumpkins grew here, and here were the carrots, potatoes, and squash. You get the picture. I knew there would be some tending, some watering, and the occasional weed-pulling. \n\nI was not prepared for the pigweed. \n\nAt first, it seemed like little sprouts covering everything. I thought at first it was some kind of clover, but then it kept growing, taller and taller. I found out it was called redroot pigweed, and it completely took over. My garden was toast. In that moment, I understood a little more about the parable of the weeds. \n\nMy garden was completely choked out by the pigweed, but God’s garden is different than my pitiful attempt. God is first and foremost a God of mercy, and it is within his character to be merciful. This is why he lets the weeds grow. He does not want to risk a single stalk of wheat being ripped up along with the weeds. \n\nAnd remember, this is a parable. This is not actually about weeds and wheat. Ordinarily, a gardener would be happy to tear that weed out by the roots, especially because the weeds steal nutrients from the crop. And if that means sacrificing a...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/P3eUvssXYVZBQK4BZg1UEKstUh8zuVz_CoZCK6YjRSs/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzI1MTcyLzE3MDI0/Mjg1MzAtYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}