Today many, if not all of our churches are using this Gospel text to pray for vocations ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.’ and we have faith that our Lord will indeed send labourers to His harvest.
Many however think that this prayer is for vocations to the priesthood or religious life alone. Not so my dear sisters and brothers in Christ, our Lord is calling you too to serve in His vineyard. Yes that’s right, you who are reading this reflection and I are called to bring His light to all we meet. Many are hungry and thirsting for the Lord our God and are sorely in need of His love, mercy, peace and comfort. They are depressed and desolate because they have not been made aware that there is a great, powerful and all loving God who loves them all very dearly and does not want them to wallow in their misery. He wants each and everyone of them to live life to the full. Many of these still do not know and have not heard of our Lord Jesus Christ and it is our duty as His disciples to gather them all (harvest) into His fold.
So let us all wrestle with this seed planted into our hearts, God wants you and I to be powerful instruments of His Grace. And if we are single minded in our love for Him: come what may, difficulties, challenges we will overcome them all. For He will Bless us and we carry His presence with us every where we go. Amen
First reading
Genesis 32:23-33
Jacob wrestles with God
Jacnerveob rose, and taking his two wives and his two slave-girls and his eleven children he crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He took them and sent them across the stream and sent all his possessions over too. And Jacob was left alone.
And there was one that wrestled with him until daybreak who, seeing that he could not master him, struck him in the socket of his hip, and Jacob’s hip was dislocated as he wrestled with him. He said, ‘Let me go, for day is breaking.’ But Jacob answered, ‘I will not let you go unless you bless me.’ He then asked, ‘What is your name?’ ‘Jacob’, he replied. He said, ‘Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have been strong against God, you shall prevail against men.’ Jacob then made this request, ‘I beg you, tell me your name’, but he replied, ‘Why do you ask my name?’ And he blessed him there.
Jacob named the place Peniel, ‘Because I have seen God face to face,’ he said ‘and I have survived.’ The sun rose as he left Peniel, limping because of his hip. That is the reason why to this day the Israelites do not eat the sciatic nerve which is in the socket of the hip; because he had struck Jacob in the socket of the hip on the sciatic nerve.
Gospel
Matthew 9:32-37
The harvest is rich but the labourers are few
A man was brought to Jesus, a dumb demoniac. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb man spoke and the people were amazed. ‘Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel’ they said. But the Pharisees said, ‘It is through the prince of devils that he casts out devils.’
Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness.
And when he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.’
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