Thoughts for the Day

Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.'

(New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Jesus has compassion for the people around him. The word used for 'compassion' here, in the Greek, is the strongest word that can possibye be used. It's a word we might use when our whole being is stirred to pity. Their needs are so great and there are few people to help.

We must note that Jesus didn't say that his disciples were to go and help the needy. He asked them to pray that 'the Lord of the harvest', in other words, God, would send more labourers to work in the field. A harvest field then, would have been ruined if there were no people to collect it in, and we can see how this occurs in fields today that have to be hand-picked. If there are not enough workers, the crops will be ruined. But we also need to notice that he used the word 'labourers', that is people willing to give up their lives to physically work hard in the field.

In today's world we need more Lay Readers, Pastoral Workers, Evangelists, and Priests, people who will dedicate their lives to God's work. Our job (whatever our age, indeed the older we are perhaps we have more time for this) is to pray, and pray continually, that more people will be found for the 'harvest is plentiful and the labourers are few'.

Sunday 14th June, follow up thoughts

Lord Jesus,
You taught Your disciples
to pray for more labourers in the field:
for men and women who will offer
their lives to do your work.
We pray today for those who feel they
have nothing to offer;
for those who think they may have
something to offer;
and for everyone else
that they will keep on praying.
Amen.