SATURDAY, DEC 9
Matthew 9:35-10:1, 5a, 6-8
Jesus went around to all the towns and villages,
teaching in their synagogues,
proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness.
At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them
because they were troubled and abandoned,
like sheep without a shepherd.
Then he said to his disciples,
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
So ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.”Then he summoned his Twelve disciples
and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out
and to cure every disease and every illness.Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus,
“Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
As you go, make this proclamation: “The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
Cure the sick, raise the dead,
cleanse lepers, drive out demons.
Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”
Grace: I ask for the grace to know Jesus in a deeper way that I may abundantly love and follow him.
“At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.” I was recently in Lourdes for the 59th Annual International Military Pilgrimage. In attendance were thousands upon thousands of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines representing the military forces from 39 different countries. There were thousands upon thousands there from all over the world. On the day of the closing Eucharist there were a hundred or more priests trying to distribute the Eucharist to the thousands present. People turned in every direction trying to find a priest – desiring to receive Jesus – as the priests waded through the crowds. As we left, the world around us became clearer. Everywhere one looks there are people searching. They turn this direction and that – backward, forward, and sideways looking for what will bring them healing and bring them peace. The trouble is that they do not know where to look and have no shepherd to guide them.
Jesus looks out onto the crowd – the crowd that extends from then to now to eternity – and has compassion. I hear Jesus telling me that there needs to be more workers in His harvest field. I hear him say that there is healing to be done and He needs His people to go out from Him and touch the world around us with His love. He tells me to pray to this end: that more workers will enter into the fields. Will I pray to this end? Can I pray to this end without personally entering the harvest field? Jesus’ words continue to echo in my ears as I am faced with the decision. Will, I enter into the harvest field – will I help those who are turning this direction and that, find the healing that they seek – will I be part of the God’s Kingdom come and His will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven? Jesus is calling; the pressure is on – how do I answer – how do I pray?
For Reflection and Prayer:
Am I in the crowd who knows the need for Jesus?
Am I willing, as Jesus asks, to pray for more workers to enter the harvest field?
Am I going to put those prayers into practice and be one of the workers?
The Contributor:
Fr. Steven G Rindahl is an Anglican priest who served in the US Army as a chaplain. Additionally, he is an adjunct professor for Empire State College (SUNY). Fr. Steve holds the Master of Divinity, Master of Theology (Anglican Studies), Master of Theology (Preaching), and the Doctor of Ministry.
Excerpts from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owner.