16th Sunday of the year Year A

In my hometown, a type of poisonous bean called "koto" grows wild. Although it's poisonous, it can be eaten after being boiled several times. I've been eating this bean since childhood, so I consider it a favorite. Therefore, when asked what my favorite food is, I always mention the name of this bean.

At the time, families who ate this bean as food faced considerable discrimination, but I consider this bean not only a "benefactor" but also a "hidden, excellent wisdom of the village." Turning poisonous beans into food certainly requires ingenuity.

I believe there are two lessons to be learned from this poisonous bean. One is "effort." Even poisonous beans can be made delicious after being boiled several times. Life is the same. If there's something you want, you can surely obtain it if you work hard enough. Everything is good as long as it's not obtained unjustly. The other lesson is "letting go." Letting go doesn't mean throwing everything away, but rather living surrounded only by what you truly need. Even though it contains poison, it becomes a delicious bean after being boiled many times. Boiling washes away the unnecessary parts of the bean that contain poison. For the villagers, the "weeds" were not merely poisoned beans, but beans overflowing with honey beneath the poison. These beans remind us that everything in nature brings partial happiness to our lives. If poisonous beans are so useful to life, then non-poisonous things must be even more so.

Today's Gospel reading is the parable of the weeds. What is Jesus trying to point out with this parable? I think there are two things. One is the danger of judging others. Humans cannot see into the depths of a person's heart; that is God's domain. Only Jesus knows whether faith is mere lip service or genuine faith, and this will only be revealed at the end times. Rather than criticizing others, we should pray for and acknowledge each other so that each of our hearts may bear fruit through a true encounter with Jesus, bearing each other's weaknesses and mistakes, and rigorously examining our own hearts to ensure our faith is genuine.

The other is the ideal form of a community of people who follow and believe in Jesus. At that time, among the people who gathered around Jesus, there must have been all sorts of individuals. Some were struggling at the bottom of society, while others held high positions.

Their motivations for approaching Jesus were also likely different. Some were weary of their daily lives and sought comfort and hope. Others were drawn to the mystery of Jesus' character and followed him. Only God himself can discern who the weeds are and who the good wheat are. Therefore, Jesus, the owner of the field, did not uproot the weeds, leaving both as they were. He did not want to uproot the weeds, as doing so might have resulted in uprooting the good wheat as well.

The parable of the poisonous beans ("koto") and the weeds teaches us to continue to find beauty in all the events of life.

When God takes something away from our hands, it is not a harsh punishment, but simply to open our hands to receive something better.

So, what should we hope for on a daily basis?

A life without hardship,
tears without cheeks,
a journey free from illness.
These are not what we should desire.
Let us embark on this week's journey with gratitude,
refusal to succumb to temptation, not to judge even when oppressed,
and in times of sadness, pain, and joy, we hope that God will guide us with an eternal smile.