“At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.’ ”
In the beginning of today’s Gospel reading, a demoniac who could not speak is brought to Jesus. When he cures the man, he spoke. A parallel of this appears in today’s Psalms, where the psalmist describes the handmade idols of pagans: “They have mouths but speak not; they have eyes but see not; They have ears but hear not; they have noses but smell not.”
God, help me understand Jesus’ pity for the crowds. At a recent Mass, I heard the priest put it this way during the homily: Jesus went among the sick, the poor, the neglected—places most people avoid. Surely, the pity and compassion Jesus felt for these people he felt for the well off who have every material comfort but are troubled and abandoned even among family. Jesus’ compassionate response to the crowds is to pray for laborers—the faithful hearers and doers of his word—for his harvest.
Even when I try to quiet my mind, the noise and confusion of today’s agenda rushes in, assorted tasks that all demand to be placed first. Lies, all lies. If I can simply remember to hear and do God’s word and have his merciful heart, what is needful will be accomplished.
Today let me remember to hear and do God’s word. If I become mute and paralyzed today in word or deed, bound in some way by sin, let Jesus be my recourse to restore my ability to help in his harvest and be a doer of God’s will. Again from the Psalms: “Our God is in heaven; whatever he wills, he does.” If my will is God’s—that is, if I offer my day to him and not for the sake of worldly success—half the battle is fought because he will accomplish the rest.