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.’

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

In today's reading we see Jesus teaching in cities and villages as well as healing the people. We are told that he has compassion for the people. The word used for 'compassion' in the Greek, is the strongest word that can possibly be used. It's a word we might use when our whole being is stirred to pity. The people's needs are so great but there are few people to help them.

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 still see this in our fields today where some crops like strawberries still have to be hand-picked. If there are not enough workers, the crops will be ruined. But we also notice that Jesus used the word 'labourers', that is people who are willing to give up their lives to physically work hard in the field - in this case with those people who needed help.

Today God can call us to work in the world with those who are in need, perhaps helping the housebound, engaging with those suffering from mental illness, or reaching out to prisoners. But we shouldn't forget that the Church desperately needs more Ministers, Youth workers, Pastoral Workers, Evangelists, and Priests, that is people who will dedicate their lives to God's work. Our job (whatever our age) is to pray continually that more vocations will be found for ministry, for the 'harvest is plentiful and the labourers are few'. Ask God if he is speaking to you about such ministry, and ask others "Is God calling you to ministry?" Sometimes that simple question starts work in a person that leads to fruition.

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.