WANTED: HARVESTERS

The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few. – Matthew 9:37

       Here I am, Lord / Is it I, Lord? / I have heard You calling in the night / I will go, Lord / If You lead me / I will hold Your people in my heart.

       I love hearing and singing this song which I learned when I was still young. It reminds me to use my God-given gifts to do my share in this abundant harvest.

       God has placed in my heart a strong desire to share about Him and His work in my life through writing and speaking. He has also given me opportunities to lead groups at different points in my life. I believe that it is through these gifts that God wants me to take part in the great harvest.

       First Corinthians 12:4-7 says, “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.” As Bishop Jesse Mercado said in his homily at the Kerygma Conference 2013, “Your gift, your charism, is your way of contributing to the Church.” Teresa Gumap-as Dumadag (teregmps@yahoo.com)

Reflection: Are you open to God’s call to be one of His laborers in the harvest? What gifts do you have that you can use to help?

Lord, I pray that I would always be ready to say yes to You whenever You call me. May I readily obey also when You send me.

Blessed Emmanuel Ruiz and Companions, pray for us.

Sometimes, following God’s will involves wrestling with Him. It is not always easy to accept and follow God’s Word. It is OK to clarify and confirm whether this is truly His will for your life or not. Sometimes, we can be mistaken about the source of a particular instruction and it may not be from God. In order to be certain, we need to dig deeper into the meaning of the call.

23 In the course of the night, Jacob arose, took his two wives, with the two maidservants and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 24 After he had taken them across the stream and had brought over all his possessions, 25 Jacob was left there alone. Then some man wrestled with him until the break of dawn. 26 When the man saw that he could not prevail over him, he struck Jacob’s hip at its socket, so that the hip socket was wrenched as they wrestled. 27 The man then said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go until you bless me.” 28 The man asked, “What is your name?” He answered, “Jacob.” 29 Then the man said, “You shall no longer be spoken of as Jacob, but as Israel, because you have contended with divine and human beings and have prevailed.” 30 Jacob then asked him, “Do tell me your name, please.” He answered, “Why should you want to know my name?” With that, he bade him farewell. 31 Jacob named the place Peniel, “Because I have seen God face to face,” he said, “yet my life has been spared.” 32 At sunrise, as he left Penuel, Jacob limped along because of his hip. 33 That is why, to this day, the children of Israel do not eat the sciatic muscle that is on the hip socket, inasmuch as Jacob’s hip socket was struck at the sciatic muscle.

Psalm 17:1, 2-3, 6-7, 8, 15

R: In justice, I shall behold your face, O Lord.

1 Hear, O Lord, a just suit; attend to my outcry; hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit. (R) 2 From you let my judgment come; your eyes behold what is right. 3 Though you test my heart, searching it in the night, though you try me with fire, you shall find no malice in me. (R) 6 I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my word. 7 Show your wondrous mercies, O savior of those who flee from their foes. (R) 8 Hide me in the shadow of your wings. 15 I in justice shall behold your face; on waking, I shall be content in your presence. (R)

I am the good shepherd, says the Lord; I know my sheep, and mine know me.

32 A demoniac who could not speak was brought to Jesus, 33 and when the demon was driven out the mute person spoke. The crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” 34 But the Pharisees said, “He drives out demons by the prince of demons.” 35 Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. 36 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. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; 38 so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”

think: Sometimes, following God’s will involves wrestling with Him.

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR 2 Chronicles 21-22

BE CLOSE TO GOD BY OPENING TO HIM

We have a saying in Filipino that says, “Sala sa init, sala sa lamig.” It is an attitude whereby a person would always contradict and disagree with a situation. It was what Jesus told the Jewish leaders who did not accept John the Baptist, whom they accused of being a demon because he ate and drank nothing. They also criticized Jesus for eating, drinking and socializing with sinners.

       So far, this was the worst allegation Jesus received from the Pharisees. Casting out a demon was not impossible during Jesus’ time, but it definitely needed authority and spiritual prowess to perform such a feat. Because of their negative attitude toward Jesus, they even charged Him of being a demon. The heart can really conspire with the mind in concocting even the wildest idea just to support a conclusion.

       We should always have an open mind, especially in our relationship with God. Things do not always look as they appear. We have to let them unfold. As the saying goes, “Do not judge a book by its cover.” Too many times we fail to understand and make a good discernment because we have already formed our opinion. Worse, we commit the mistake of twisting the truth just to hold on to what we had professed from the very beginning. Many times, we think that God does not answer our prayers. We are so focused on what we ask for, when it should be given, and how it must come. When we think our prayers are not answered, we say, “I thought so!” It reveals our attitude towards prayer and God. There was no faith to begin with. We have judged God.

       God is God. We are humans. God is omnipotent. We are limited. Let us always be humble to know and accept this truth. Humility is our first step to opening ourselves to God. When we are open to God, He can fill us with His graceful presence. And when He is present in us, we come to know and experience all His revelations. Fr. Benny Tuazon

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Do you have a prayer that God hasn’t answered till now? How does it affect your relationship with Him?

Grant me a deeper faith, Lord, and a stronger trust in You, that though You do not answer all my prayers, Your love for me is great.