St. Augustine Zhao Rong is just one of the 120 martyrs who celebrate their feast day in church today. These martyrs have varying ages—some native to China, some foreigners, lay, religious, and clergy—who gave their lives to spread Christianity in China from 1648 to 1930. These brave witnesses of our faith were beatified in groups at various times and were canonized together in Rome on October 1, 2000 by Pope St. John Paul II. 

I also had a friend who went on a mission to China to help the underground Church there. It amazes me how our Catholic brothers and sisters risk their lives to gather for worship and grow in their faith. Such are the types of workers the Church needs. If they can do it, so can we, as the Spirit works in and through all those who believe in Jesus. Let’s pray that more say yes to the universal call of evangelization and discipleship, wherever and whenever God’s Spirit moves. 

Remember, we don’t need to go to faraway places to do missionary work. All of us can start right where we are. Jonathan Yogawin (coachj@jyogawin.com) 

Reflect:

In what way can you reap a harvest for the Lord? Will you be Jesus’ answered prayer? 

Hear I am, Lord. Send me. 

St. Joseph Zhang Dapeng, pray for us.

Hosea affirms that the people of Israel have been unfaithful to the covenant, and are about to reap the harvest of their infidelity—military defeat and exile. It takes us a long time to learn from our mistakes. Let us learn from others’ mistakes as well as from our own. Let us be mindful of the mistakes of history and avoid repeating them. 

⁴ Thus says the Lord: They made kings in Israel, but not by my authority; they established princes, but without my approval. With their silver and gold they made idols for themselves, to their own destruction. ⁵ Cast away your calf, O Samaria! my wrath is kindled against them; How long will they be unable to attain innocence in Israel? ⁶ The work of an artisan no god at all, Destined for the flames—such is the calf of Samaria! ⁷ When they sow the wind, they shall reap the whirlwind; The stalk of grain that forms no ear can yield no flour; Even if it could, strangers would swallow it. ¹¹ When Ephraim made many altars to expiate sin, his altars became occasions of sin. ¹² Though I write for him my many ordinances, they are considered as a stranger’s. ¹³ Though they offer sacrifice, immolate flesh and eat it, the Lord is not pleased with them. He shall still remember their guilt and punish their sins; they shall return to Egypt. 

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 115:3-4, 5-6, 7-8

R: The house of Israel trusts in the Lord. 

³ Our God is in heaven; whatever he wills, he does. ⁴ Their idols are silver and gold, the handiwork of men. (R) ⁵ They have mouths but speak not; they have eyes but see not; ⁶ they have ears but hear not; they have noses but smell not. (R) ⁷ They have hands but feel not; they have feet but walk not. ⁸ Their makers shall be like them, everyone that trusts in them. (R) 

Gospel | Matthew 9:32-38

Jesus is sorrowful because the leaders fail to lead the people well. Instead of being good shepherds, they lead the people astray. A good shepherd leads his flock into a deeper experience of God; and thus builds up the community of faith. At present the leaders are self-centered and more concerned about their own comfort and enrichment. They are bad examples for the people. 

Gospel Acclamation

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 man 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.” 

Read the Bible in one year! Read PSALMS 11 - 15 today.

As Jesus went about serving, He realized how mission could really eat one up in terms of time, energy, and expectations. 

Jesus encountered persons, personalities, and characters. He faced helpless persons who were just too glad to be freed from their various kinds of burdens, but He also met proud leaders who felt threatened by His words and actions. Jesus saw various needs. There were those who needed freedom from spiritual bondage, and He had to minister to them with deliverance and exorcism. There were those who were suffering from physical pain, and for them, Jesus spent time communicating healing and cure. 

Jesus got different responses and reactions. He experienced how people were hard to please, and many times, they were ungrateful. The Pharisees even remarked in absurdity that Jesus exorcised demons through the powers of a higher demon. 

Missionary work is the heart of sowing seeds that will build up the Kingdom. Reflecting on His challenging experiences, Jesus ended with some concerns: the need for a continuing flow of persons in the mission, the need for these missionaries to be dedicated “laborers” (not just “think tanks”), and the need for prayer and God’s graces as the force behind everything. Human efforts and goodwill are not enough. 

Moreover, Jesus likens missionary work to that of doing a harvest. The missionaries, therefore, have first to till and sow seeds. This concretely means that missionaries cannot go straight to promoting Gospel values. People have to be ministered first according to their state. They may need to be taught simple human ways and skills through education and livelihood programs. The missionaries have to water the blooming plants next. This may mean fostering communities and animating them with basic catechism through the help of the Holy Spirit. All throughout, missionaries have to do everything with patience and tenderness. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP 

Reflection Question:

What is your own mission work at this time? What purely human training and values go with your efforts to evangelize people? 

Lead me, Lord, and help me to reach out to people with whom You want me to share Your Word. Amen.

Today, I pray for: ____________________________________________