Our Mission Too

 

 Matthew 9:35-10:1, 5a, 6-8

 The Harvest Is Plentiful, the Laborers Few

³⁵ And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. ³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; ³⁸ therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

The Twelve Apostles

10 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. ² The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; ³ Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; ⁴ Simon the Zealot,and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles

⁵ These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, ⁶ but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷ And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ ⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.

Our day and age  is witnessing a decline in Church attendance and vocations to the priesthood and religious life; Jesus could well  repeat his lament that "the harvest is plenty but the laborers are few." What will it take for us to turn from a life of self-centeredness to a life centered on living and proclaiming the Gospel? Advent is a time of reflection on and preparation for the arrival of the Son of God at Christmas.  It's a kind of "start over" time.  What can I do in my life to "start over" and be of help in making the mission of Jesus real and viable in my life and in the life of my family and neighbors?

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, open my ears and heart to hear your call to ME to be an active proclaim-er of the Gospel. Amen.