THE HARVEST AND THE LABOURERS

Meditation for the 11^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

(Ex 19:2-6; Rm 5:6-11; Mt 9:36-10:8)

Let us meditate on the dynamics and the relationship between the harvest of the Lord and the labourers He sent into His harvest. Jesus said in the gospel of today, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.” In the first reading, we hear how the Lord Himself ‘laboured’ for the Israelites, and ‘harvested’ them to Himself. He made a covenant with them at mount Sinai so that they would be His own possession among all the peoples. He said, “You shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”

 

Both the harvest and the labourers belong to God. The duty of the labourers is to do what the Lord did for the Israelites in the first reading, which is to return to the Lord the harvest that is His own possession. To achieve this, the labourers must first be the Lord’s possession before they can usher others in as the Lord’s possession. Thus, only a Labour who is at the same time a ‘harvest’ of the Lord can truly labour in the Lord’s vineyard. Such labourers are few and not easy to come by. The harvest is plentiful; many people need to hear the authentic gospel message, strengthened and encouraged, and helped to gain the graces they need to become the Lord’s possession. But the Labourers are few; there is always need for committed and persevering labourers, who have been ‘harvested’ for the Lord, who can interpret the signs of the times and apply the gospel message accordingly without bending it towards wordily standards.

 

Jesus Himself is the perfect Labourer for, “While we were yet helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly…God shows His love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” Just as Jesus became our reconciliation with God, the Labourers sent to the Lord’s harvest bring the love of God and reconciliation in Christ Jesus. Then, Jesus called the twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits and to heal every infirmity. He gave them the mandate preach, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without pay, give without pay.”

 

As each of the disciples was identified individually, so does each labourer have a unique dimension he must cover. There is a need for labourers who understand their charisma and apply it for the Lord’s harvest. Standing on the foundation of the apostles, every believer, reconciled with God, must labour at his or her own capacity to bring reconciliation and peace among men and with God. Every labourer must have a sense of urgency, avoid distraction and delay, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. We pray, therefore, that the Lord of the harvest should send out labourers into His harvest. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.

Sunday June 18^th, 2023.

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