The Word Among Us: A Catholic Devotional based on the Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Saturday, December 5, 2015

The Word Among Us: A Catholic Devotional based on the Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Saturday, December 5, 2015

Meditation: Matthew 9:35 Yeshua went about all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and weakness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were harried and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his talmidim, “The harvest is rich, but the workers are few. 38 Pray that the Lord of the harvest will send out workers to gather in his harvest.”

10:1 Yeshua called his twelve talmidim and gave them authority to drive out unclean spirits and to heal every kind of disease and weakness.

5 These twelve Yeshua sent out with the following instructions: “Don’t go into the territory of the Goyim, and don’t enter any town in Shomron, 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Isra’el. 7 As you go, proclaim, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is near,’ 8 heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those afflicted with tzara’at, expel demons. You have received without paying, so give without asking payment.

1st Week of Advent
Ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. (Matthew 9:38)
Researchers have conducted studies that demonstrate how people’s actions are affected by how they view themselves. If you are convinced that you are bad at math, you will do worse on a math test than if you felt as if you were making progress. If you expect to lose a game of chess, you’re much less likely to win. Given this dynamic, it’s worth considering whether we view our role in God’s kingdom the same way God does.
Today’s Gospel reading begins with a familiar scene: Jesus is preaching, healing, giving himself completely to everyone who comes to him. But then he pauses; he is struck by the overwhelming need of the crowds. And notice this: he doesn’t just redouble his efforts or pray to the Father for his intervention. No, he turns to the disciples and urges them to pray for more workers. Then he sends them out to do works of ministry without him.
From that day onward, it became clear that Jesus didn’t intend to do everything himself. He has reserved much of the work of his kingdom for his followers—and that includes us.
“But I’m not a great apostle like Peter or John. What can I do?” Well, consider the image Jesus uses: he wants “laborers for his harvest,” everyday people willing to do the work of the kingdom (Matthew 9:38). Kingdom work has many different roles requiring many different skills, but what God most needs is willing servants. When we step up and offer ourselves, he makes us fruitful.
Of course, we can’t just put in long hours to get the job done. We need to find the right balance between our diligence and God’s faithfulness, between our work and his grace. Or as St. Augustine is said to have remarked, we need to work as if it all depends on us, but pray as if it all depends on God.
This can sound awfully challenging, but Jesus reminds us that we have freely received God’s goodness and grace—and that’s what we should be working hard to give away (Matthew 10:8). So let’s give ourselves over willingly to this great work of welcoming and advancing God’s kingdom among us.
“Lord, I want you to use me in your mission; I am available to you.” Amen!
Isaiah 30:19 People in Tziyon, who live in Yerushalayim,

you will weep no more.

At the sound of your cry, he will show you his grace;

on hearing it, he will answer you.

20 Though Adonai may give you but bread and water,

and not very much of that;

your teacher will no longer hide himself,

but with your own eyes you will see your teacher.

21 With your ears you will hear a word from behind you:

“This is the way; stay on it,

whether you go to the right or the left.”

23 Then he will give you rain for the seed

you use to sow your land;

and the food that comes from the ground

will be rich and abundant.

When that day comes, your cattle

will graze in spacious pastures.

24 The oxen and donkeys that work the land

will eat a tasty mixture,

winnowed free of chaff,

spread by pitchfork and shovel.

25 On every high mountain and lofty hill

will be streams and flowing brooks,

on a day of great slaughter,

when the towers fall.

26 Moreover, the light of the moon will be

as bright as the light of the sun;

and the light of the sun will be seven times stronger,

like the light of seven days [in one],

on the day Adonai binds up the wounds of his people

and heals the bruise caused by the blow.

Psalm 147:1 Halleluyah!

How good it is to sing praises to our God!

How sweet, how fitting to praise him!

2 Adonai is rebuilding Yerushalayim,

gathering the dispersed of Isra’el.

3 He heals the brokenhearted

and binds up their wounds.

4 He determines how many stars there are

and calls them all by name.

5 Our Lord is great, his power is vast,

his wisdom beyond all telling.

6 Adonai sustains the humble

but brings the wicked down to the ground.

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