The harvest is plentiful
Ordinary Time · Week 11
(From Conversation with God, Fernandez Carvajal)
The Gospel of today's Mass speaks of something that must have happened frequently as Jesus went about towns and villages preaching the coming of the kingdom of God. On seeing the crowds he had pity on them; he was moved by their plight, seeing them harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd, not knowing where to turn. Instead of guiding and caring for them, their shepherds had neglected them and behaved more like wolves than like shepherds. Then Jesus said to his disciples: The harvest is great, but the labourers are few. The same is the case today; there are too few labourers for the work to be done. The harvest can be lost because there is no one to go out and reap it. So there is a pressing need for Christians to be joyful, effective, simple, faithful to the Church and conscious of what they have to do. We are all involved because God needs people to bring Christ onto the world. God needs men and women who live their faith in every activity. God needs parents who are concerned for the education and faith of their children, and who take an active part in school boards, committees, and local associations.
When we see so many people going wrong, empty of God and filled only with concern for their material possessions, or by the desire to have them, we cannot remain unmoved. For although they may seem indifferent, deep down in their soul these people are thirsty for God. They want someone to speak to them of God and the truths of salvation. If we Christians do not work with a spirit of sacrifice in this matter then what the prophet Joel foretold will happen: The fields are laid waste, the ground mourns; because the grain is destroyed, the wine fails, the oil languishes. Be confounded, 0 tillers of the soil, wail, 0 vinedressers, for the wheat and the barley; because the harvest of the field has perished. God expected these fruits to be gathered in and they were lost because of the negligence of the harvesters.
The words of Jesus, the harvest is great, and the labourers few, should bring us to examine ourselves each day: what have I done today to make God known? Have I spoken to anyone of Christ? Am I concerned for the salvation of friends and colleagues? Do I realise that many people might come closer to God if I were more daring and gave better example in fulfilling my duties?
The Gospel of today's Mass speaks of something that must have happened frequently as Jesus went about towns and villages preaching the coming of the kingdom of God. On seeing the crowds he had pity on them; he was moved by their plight, seeing them harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd, not knowing where to turn. Instead of guiding and caring for them, their shepherds had neglected them and behaved more like wolves than like shepherds. Then Jesus said to his disciples: The harvest is great, but the labourers are few. The same is the case today; there are too few labourers for the work to be done. The harvest can be lost because there is no one to go out and reap it. So there is a pressing need for Christians to be joyful, effective, simple, faithful to the Church and conscious of what they have to do. We are all involved because God needs people to bring Christ onto the world. God needs men and women who live their faith in every activity. God needs parents who are concerned for the education and faith of their children, and who take an active part in school boards, committees, and local associations.
When we see so many people going wrong, empty of God and filled only with concern for their material possessions, or by the desire to have them, we cannot remain unmoved. For although they may seem indifferent, deep down in their soul these people are thirsty for God. They want someone to speak to them of God and the truths of salvation. If we Christians do not work with a spirit of sacrifice in this matter then what the prophet Joel foretold will happen: The fields are laid waste, the ground mourns; because the grain is destroyed, the wine fails, the oil languishes. Be confounded, 0 tillers of the soil, wail, 0 vinedressers, for the wheat and the barley; because the harvest of the field has perished. God expected these fruits to be gathered in and they were lost because of the negligence of the harvesters.
The words of Jesus, the harvest is great, and the labourers few, should bring us to examine ourselves each day: what have I done today to make God known? Have I spoken to anyone of Christ? Am I concerned for the salvation of friends and colleagues? Do I realise that many people might come closer to God if I were more daring and gave better example in fulfilling my duties?