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.”
+ + + + +
+ +
Reflection:
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are
few (Matthew 9:37).” These words of Jesus rings loudly to our ears today than
ever before. Indeed this is very true and very relevant for our times. We just
need to look around our environment and we will see the sad reality that
there’s are many more who don’t know Jesus.
Our labor
for God must not be limited to our service in the church as Extra-Ordinary
Ministers of the Body of Christ, as Catechist, as Lectors/commentators and as
members of other church ministries. We must put more flesh in our involvement
in our church by going out to those who are hungry, who are
physically/emotionally sick. We need to bring Jesus out to the poor of our
society for they too need Jesus they need Jesus to guide them.
Even if
we are ordinary parishioners by virtue of our baptism we too are called to
share Jesus. A faith that grows is a faith that is shared. Beginning his Advent
season and onwards let us allow Jesus to use us as His instrument of healing by
helping the poor and the deprived.
But there
are those who follow Jesus based on their own terms and standards. They impose
their own rule and not the rule of Jesus they follow Christ based on their own
self-rule. Thus, instead of embracing
humility they choose to embrace arrogance. Instead of winning converts and
followers they become the main reason why others walk away from the faith.
A good
follower has rock solid faith, is neither self seeking nor arrogant. He/She is
rather humble and content to silently do his mission for the greater glory of
God. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
No comments:
Post a Comment