Today’s Gospel is a continuation of the Gospel we heard yesterday at daily Mass. Today’s Gospel reminded me of the Gospel message from Luke that we heard at the Sunday liturgy on July 6 when Jesus was sending out the 72 disciples out on a missionary journey, as he told them that the harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few. Today, Jesus tells us that when we labor and are burdened, we are to come to him, for he will give us rest. Just as when Jesus gave the 72 advice when he sent them out as missionaries, just as he welcomed them back when they returned, Jesus is there to support us and guide us as we work in the vineyard of the Lord. We do not labor in the vineyard alone.
Pope Francis had a similar message for us as disciples of Christ. He always told his priests that we needed to be out with the sheep, not to remain in our offices or in our rectories. He always told the faithful that they should be going forth into the world and inviting people to our faith, that we should go to the margins and the peripheries to work with the poor, the abandoned, and the oppressed. Yet, we are never to forget that Jesus is always there accompanying us. When we are burdened in our work, he is there for us.
No comments:
Post a Comment