A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Jesus presented another parable to those gathered, “The reign of God may be likened to a farmer who sowed good seed in a field. While everyone was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then made off.  When the crop began to mature and yield grain, the weeds became evident as well.

“The farmer’s workers came and asked, ‘Did you not sow good seed in your field?  Where are the weeds coming from?’  The farmer replied, ‘I see an enemy’s hand in this.’  They in turn asked, ‘Do you want us to go out and pull them up?’  ‘No,’ replied the farmer, ‘if you pull up the weeds, you might take the wheat along with them.  Let them grow together until the harvest, then at harvest time I will order the harvesters to first collect the weeds and bundle them up to burn, then gather the wheat into my barn.’ ”

Jesus presented another parable to the crowds, “The kindom of Heaven is like the mustard seed which a farmer sowed in a field.  It is the smallest of all the seeds; but when it has grown it is the biggest shrub of all, and becomes a tree so that the birds of the air come to perch in its branches.”

Jesus offered them still another parable, “The kindom of Heaven is like the yeast a baker took and mixed in with three measures of flour until it was leavened all through.”  Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables.  He spoke to them in parables only, to fulfill what had been said through the prophet,

“I will open my mouth in parables,
I will announce things hidden
since the creation of the world.”

Then Jesus left the crowd and went into the house.  The disciples also came in and said, “Explain the parable about the weeds in the field.”  Jesus answered, “The farmer sowing the good seed is the Chosen One; the field is the world, and the good seed the citizens of the kindom.  The weeds are the followers of the evil one and the enemy who sowed them is the devil.  The harvest is the end of the world, while the harvesters are the angels.  Just as weeds are collected and burned, so it will be at the end of the world.  The Chosen One will send the angels who will weed out the kindom of everything that causes sin and all who act lawlessly.  The angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and the gnashing of teeth.  But those who are just will shine like the sun in the kindom of their Creator.  If you have ears to hear, then listen!”

The Good News as spoken through Matthew.