THE SUNDAY MESSENGER
July 5, 2020

Fifth Sunday After Pentecost

Until the Final Harvest

It’s not straightforward how the Kingdom of God grows, and there is no direct answer in this life of how God rules or judges, how he sifts the weeds from the wheat. Baptism, as important and vital as it is for salvation, is not a badge or guarantee. It is the beginning of the journey of faith and the process of salvation. God is looking for a mature faith, one that is distinguishable from an immature or imposter faith. In the meantime, God tells us to patiently wait as we anticipate the full outworking and consummation of the Kingdom of God, at which he will reconcile all things. Judgment is up to the Sower of good seeds
– Jesus. He will defeat and confront evil.

This is why the parable of the Weeds also explains why the Church neither condemns her nominal members nor judges those outside the Church (see I Corinthians 5:12-13). The seventh century Armenian Church Father, Stepanos Siwnetsi, in his commentary on Matthew’s Gospel, explains why the Good Sower allows the tares to remain among the wheat:

They are left to grow until the harvest or the destruction of the tares in the event they change and become wheat.

The final harvest leaves room for all of us to repent and live penitentially, it gives us time to practice our faith, mature in our faith, to convert from a tare to wheat, and to convert others as well.What can the Parable of the Weeds tell us about the art of evangelism, even within our own community? Are we quick to judge, or do we leave judgment up to God and let the Holy Spirit and the teachings of the Church bring conviction? What does this parable tell us about the patience of God and how we should reflect that same kind of patience toward others, including unbelievers?
By Dn. Eric Vozzy

TODAY’S BIBLE READINGS:

Romans 8: 31-10:4 (pages 144-145) New Testament
Matthew 13: 24-30 (page 13) New Testament – (Please follow the Armenian Reading in your Bible)
Isaiah 2:5-11 (page 683) Old Testament

“LORD, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night….” (Nehemiah 1:5-6).

Prayers are requested for Ethel Terzian, Taron Poghosyan, Alice Charles, Armen & Theodora Mirakian.

CALLING ALL GRADUATES
The next issue of the LOOYS will feature information about our graduates and we are hoping that you will submit your own details so that you can be included. Write-up should include: full name, parents’ names, name of institution, grade level or degree achieved, activity involvement, and future plans (further education/ work). Please include a picture (in high resolution color), if possible. Everything should be sent to choirboss@hotmail.com by an ABSOLUTE deadline of July 20, 2020.