Table of Contents
Liturgy of the Church on the Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany
Read Matthew 13 versus 24 to 30
Normally when people read about the Cockle and the wheat they look outside themselves to what’s happening in the world they look out and see how, many bad people which is the cock are growing in the field of the world. However in this meditation we are instead going to consider where are we are in that field.
First Consideration
What abundant seeds of lights and good thoughts, impulses and holy inspirations God has, up until this moment, sown in your mind.
In the case of any other person, being blessed to the same degree as you, by now they would be a saint. Whereas you have not even started on your journey through the narrow gate.
How much good fruit, good wheat does God expect to find in you, when he considers all his special inspirations he imparted to you through the years?
How many negligence have you been guilty of?
What have you unknowingly committed? What sins have you deliberately committed?
Application to ourselves
Examine carefully the kind of life you have led up until now. Place along side of it the gifts of grace which you have received from the hand of God. You will be greatly shocked at the discrepancy between the graces given to you and the lack of fruit you have produced.
Affection love of God and resolutions
He has not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded as according to our iniquity. )ps cii 10
Second consideration
So how is it that we return to God a harvest of Cockle which is a harvest of sins in our lives? How is it, that we do not return to him a great beautiful harvest of wheat? Where are our virtues? He obviously gives us enough blessings to be able to return to him with many virtues?
Where does the cockle come from?
The cockle comes from two sources. The first is our own fault and the second is the malice of our enemies.
The person who is asleep has his eyes closed and sleeps because he is caring for his body. But he is unconscious to the needs of his soul.
His eyes are closed.
You are like that person sleeping with interest only in your senses. New to are as one sleeping because you keep your eyes close to all the interests of yourself come and look only to satisfy her senses.
This is the first cause of the growth of cock.
The second cause is the malice of your mortal enemies who see you so negligent never cease to salt with a new this seems otherworldly thoughts and ideas come of suggestions and desires in which nothing but evil can result.
Applying this to ourselves.
Be vigilant therefore and watch over yourself come if you would close the entrance against these enemies who themselves never ever sleep.
Affections and resolutions.
Thou hast been my hope a tower of strength against the face of the enemy. (Psalm lx v4)
Third considerations
We must admit that the good seed cannot at first be easily distinguished from the bad seed, In early growth it is hard to distinguish the cockle from the wheat. but after harvest they are quickly recognised.
In the same way, in this life where the virtuous live together with sinners; the holy with the lukewarm; the more perfect with the less perfect, it is not always easy to distinguish the one from the other. Furthermore in one person what presents as a vertue might stem from a less than virtuous motivation.
On judgement day the Divine Husbandman will order the good seed to be separated from the cockle; vice from virtue; the reprobate from the elect.
Jesus says: “Gather up first the cockle and bind into bundles to burn but gather the wheat into my barn. What a great separation will that be–this separation of The reprobate into an eternal fire, and of the elect to the glory of paradise.
Application to ourselves.
Remember that you also rename ever exposed to this separation even onto the last moment of your life.
Forever bear this thought seriously and frequently in your heart
Affections and resolutions:
The eye of the Lord are upon the just come but the continents of the lord is against them that do evil things (Psalm. xxx v 16 – 17)
