82. Плевелы между пшеницей

Sometimes tares grow among the wheat. As wheat and tares, so are the pious and the wicked. The tares grow among the wheat. So also the wicked exist and circulate among the pious. At first the tares do not differ from the wheat, but then, when the wheat begins to ripen and bear fruit, it turns out that they are not wheat, but tares. Likewise, the wicked are not quickly recognized, but then little by little their wickedness and evil behavior are revealed: “By their fruits you will know them,” says the Lord (Matthew 7:20). There is a great difference between tares and wheat. So it is between the wicked and the pious. Tares, as we see, are good for nothing, wheat is good for everything. Likewise, the wicked are not suitable for any work, but the pious are useful for everything. During the harvest, the tares, as worthless, are gathered into sheaves and burned, and the wheat is gathered into the granary. Likewise, the wicked, like the barren, at the end of the age will be gathered, bound in sheaves and consigned to eternal fire. Fornicators and adulterers, defilers and adulterers will form their sheaf. Thieves, predators and robbers, stealing other people's property, will form their own sheaf. The deceitful, the cunning and the crafty will form their sheaf. Slanderers, slanderers and scolders will form their sheaf. Hypocrites who show themselves to be holy on the outside, but evil on the inside, will form their own sheaf. These and other lawless people, as barren to their Lord, will be thrown into eternal fire to be burned. But the pious, the righteous, the holy, the good, who, as the fruit of the word of God in patience, bring forth some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold, will be gathered into the kingdom of heaven, like wheat into a barn. “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world; the good seed are the sons of the kingdom, and the tares are the sons of the evil one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Therefore, just as they gather up the tares and burn them with fire, so it will be at the end of this age: the Son of Man will send His angels, and from His kingdom they will gather all who offend and those who practice iniquity, and will throw them into the fiery furnace; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth; then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Matthew 13:37–43). Sinners, let us repent! May we not be burned by eternal fire like the tares and may we produce fruits worthy of repentance. May we, by the grace of God, be the wheat that is gathered into the heavenly barn. “God of Hosts! Turn us and make Your face shine, and we will be saved” (Ps. 79:4). You might be interested in: