Yesterday’s readings had a theme running through them; kindness. We heard in the first reading how the Sovereign, powerful God is just, how he treats the insolent kindly, and we are told also the virtuous man must be kindly.

This is illustrated in the Gospel reading. In the parable of the wheat and the darnel the righteous are not harmed for the sake of the sinful, the all powerful, kindly sovereign God looks after those who turn to him.

The second reading acknowledges that even the righteous can be challenged by God. We all know the times we are at a loss at something God has done. We don’t understand it and we are confused, hurt and all those other adjectives that are used at this time when we think about what has happened. When this happens we can have trouble praying, we can have trouble saying what we need to say. But the Holy Spirit knows this, and here we are being told how he listens to what is in our heart.

We are told the Holy Spirit is kind to us, we are told God is just to the insolent, and we too are to be kind to the insolent.

Christ never refused a just request, he treated all who met him in a fair manner. If we wish to be with him in heaven, we need to be more Christlike.