Episode 2678: The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany

The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany in the Traditional Latin Mass (from the 1962 Roman Missal) continues to focus on Christ’s kingship and authority as it manifests through His Church. The readings and prayers center on faithfulness, charity, and Christ’s call to unity and holiness in the face of worldly temptations and divisions.
Introit:
Psalm 96:7-8, 1 "Adore God, all you His Angels: Sion heard and was glad: and the daughters of Juda rejoiced." "The Lord hath reigned, let the earth rejoice: let many islands be glad."
This Psalm reminds us of God’s sovereignty and the call for all creation, including the angels, to worship Him. Zion and Judah, representing the Church and faithful, rejoice in the Lord’s kingship and rule.
Collect:
"Keep, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy family with continual mercy: that, leaning only upon the hope of Thy heavenly grace, it may be always defended by Thy protection. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end."
The Collect asks for God's mercy and protection, emphasizing that the Church’s only true security lies in God’s grace and not in human strength or wisdom.
Gradual:
Psalm 101:16-17 "The Gentiles shall fear Thy Name, O Lord, and all the kings of the earth Thy glory. For the Lord hath built up Sion: and He shall be seen in His glory."
The Gradual highlights the universal scope of God’s kingdom, where all nations and leaders will one day recognize His glory. It also hints at the Church's mission to bring people of all backgrounds to faith in Christ.
Epistle:
Colossians 3:12-17 "Brethren: Put ye on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, the bowels of mercy, benignity, humility, modesty, patience: bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if any have a complaint against another: even as the Lord hath forgiven you, so do you also. But above all these things have charity, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ rejoice in your hearts, wherein also you are called in one body: and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you abundantly, in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual canticles, singing in grace in your hearts to God. All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him."
In this passage, St. Paul describes the virtues that Christians should cultivate: mercy, kindness, humility, and, above all, charity, which binds all virtues together in perfection. These virtues promote unity and peace within the Church, as believers are called to live and work together in love, keeping Christ at the center of all they do.
Gospel:
Matthew 13:24-30 "At that time, Jesus spoke this parable to the multitudes: The kingdom of Heaven is likened to a man that sowed good seed in his field: but while men were asleep, his enemy came and oversowed cockle among the wheat and went his way. And when the blade was sprung up, and had brought forth fruit, then appeared also the cockle. And the servants of the good man of the house coming said to him: Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? whence then hath it cockle? And he said to them: An enemy hath done this. And the servants said to him: Wilt thou that we go and gather it up? And he said: No, lest perhaps gathering up the cockle, you root up the wheat also together with it. Suffer both to grow until the harvest, and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers: Gather up first the cockle, and bind it into bundles to burn, but the wheat gather ye into my barn."
In this parable, Jesus speaks of the wheat and the tares (weeds), representing the coexistence of good and evil in the world and even within the Church until the final judgment. The field symbolizes the Church, where both saints and sinners are allowed to grow side by side. At the end of time, the Lord will separate them, gathering the faithful into His kingdom and casting out the wicked.
Tie-in and Meaning:
The Epistle and Gospel share a theme of patience and charity within the Church. In the Epistle, St. Paul calls for forgiveness, patience, and unity, underscoring that charity binds all virtues in the Christian community. The Gospel parable builds on this by illustrating why God permits both good and evil within the Church and the world. Just as the good wheat and the tares grow together until the final harvest, so are the faithful and unfaithful present in the Church. God allows time for conversion and repentance, as He desires the salvation of all, while the faithful are encouraged to bear with others in charity and patience. Together, these readings underscore the call to holiness, steadfastness, and love amidst the imperfections and challenges of living in a fallen world.