Can We Hide From Evil?

This week's gospel (Matthew 13:24-33) has Jesus telling the parable of the wheat and the weeds. A man went out and sowed his seeds of good wheat. While he was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat. The wheat and the weeds then grew up together until the time came for harvest, at which point the weeds were collected to be put into the fire, and the wheat was gathered and put into the barn.

We all want to be the wheat. We try to be the wheat. Like the wheat, however, we are surrounded by weeds. Most of us try to limit our exposure to evil. Especially when it comes to our children, we try to protect them from the weeds in our world. We censor what they listen to, and watch on television, and what they read. We try to make sure that they make friends with other children from families that share most of our values. We try to keep them safe. It is tempting to think that if we do enough, we will be able to safeguard our children. Yet, sadly, despite all of our efforts, our children will still experience much that is evil.

The simple truth is, no matter how much we might want to hide from evil, in this world it just isn't possible. Since the first sin, evil has been part of what it means to be human. We could take our children and escape to a desert island, and the “weediness” within ourselves would still be there. Even hermits must confront the capacity for evil within their own hearts. We don't need to seek evil. It is everywhere.

So, then, what do we do to help ourselves and our children grow as strong stalks of wheat to be gathered in for the harvest? How do we resist the weeds that threaten us and them? First, we must nurture our own spiritual development. We can't hope to raise our children with the strength they need if our own faith is weak. We can't parent alone. We need God's help, and the only way we get that is through prayer and learning about God. Second, we must give our children the tools that they need to stand firm against temptation. We must pray with them and teach them to lean on God in their hour of need. We must take advantage of the sacraments and teach them to do the same. We must read and share the Word of God with our children. We must pray with fervor the words of the Our Father: “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

An important part of what it means to be Christian is to bear witness to Christ's example and message. It isn't always easy for adults or children to stand up for what is right when everyone around us seems to be doing what is wrong. Peer pressure is a powerful force no matter what our age. From time to time, we all end up in situations where the weeds seem to be in control. That is when our commitment to the faith is most tested. That is when it is most important for us to be the good example, to be the wheat standing tall. There are also times when the weeds take root within ourselves. We all sin. It is then that we need to seek God's forgiveness and to resolve to do better, so that we can once again take our place among the wheat.

No, we can't hide from evil, no matter how much we might want to protect ourselves and our children. Evil will find us. We can, however, prepare ourselves and our children for the inevitable confrontations with evil. We can be the wheat standing strong among the weeds.