We are sometimes disturbed and upset to read about scandalous behaviour in the Church. Some people even leave the Church because of these sad cases. Yet we need to distinguish clearly between the message of the Gospel and the way in which it is preached and lived. Today's parable is reminding us that our Church is flawed, always has been and always will be. There is always a temptation to get rid of the 'weeds', to build an elite and perfect Church. That is not the way of Jesus or of the Gospel. It is for God to make the final judgement on any person. In the meantime, we belong to a Church which makes room for all kinds - good and less good, fervent and lax, saints and sinners. Each one of us, in fact, is a mixture of wheat and weeds. We are a Church of sinners, for sinners. At the same time, it is up to each one of us to respond to God's grace in living as we know He wants us to.