A homily for the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 19, 2026
Wisdom 12:13, 16-19, Romans 8:26-27, Matthew 13:24-43
Some people can be fussy about what they eat and how. Some picky eaters insist that certain foods cannot touch other items on their plates. No gravy near their peas and carrots, no syrup near their eggs. And no pickles, ever.
Semi-fussy folks may eat one item at a time, clearing away the broccoli before the beef, even when they’ve been wokked together.
And there’s a good argument to be made for this: Individual flavors and textures deserve to be savored, remembered for their uniqueness.
But we also know that great chefs devote immense and intense time and skill to craft recipes that pair complementary or contrasting ingredients to create something new, fascinating and even more memorable than Harvard beets. A concoction to be experienced in its entirety, a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.
God is the greatest chef of all.