Reflection for Sunday June 18, Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time: Matthew 9:36-10:8

Gospel: Matthew 9:36—10:8

At the sight of the crowds, Jesus’ 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. The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; Simon from Cana, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him. 

Jesus sent out these twelve after instructing them thus, “Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. Go rather 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:

Do you have a heart for the poor?

We are in hard times right now, the global economy is in decline, prices of commodities are all surging at unbelievable pace. Many workers are being laid-off due to downsizing and the effect of artificial inteliigence we don’t know when will this end. The poor who are the vast majority are getting poorer by the day. Given the situation that we have right now, I am sure Jesus heart is bleeding with pity for us. 

The poor people of this world are so many but the laborers who are willing to sacrifice and help them are so few. There’s an imbalance so to speak. Like the apostles whom Jesus summoned; those who have in life are being called by Jesus to help those who have nothing. They are those who can barely afford to buy their food we just need to look around and we’ll see them. 

The apostles whom Jesus summoned were not wealthy they were ordinary people like, fishermen, tax collector and sinners. But Jesus had chosen them simply because they were ready to respond. 

The sign of the times calls for us to listen to Jesus’ call to feed the hungry, to share our blessings no matter how small. Jesus further states: "Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give." 

Would you care to listen the voice of the Lord? – Marino J. Dasmarinas