VISION OF THE LORD'S HARVEST
In St. Luke's Gospel we see
Jesus as a person who is most concerned about the poor and lowly, and ready to
associate with everyone... What is my vision of the Lord's harvest for today?
The Gospel writer we celebrate today, St.
Luke, is the one whose Gospel we have been hearing throughout this month. We
are fortunate to have four Gospels in which to read about the life of Jesus. We
are richer for being able to see Jesus through the eyes of such different
witnesses. Putting all the views together we get a more honest and rounded view
of ourselves, if we're willing to listen.
After hearing Luke's Gospel, today, you might
ask yourself this question: What is my vision of the Lord's harvest for today?
When Jesus commissions seventy-two of His disciples to go on mission, He gives
them a vision of a great harvest for the Kingdom of God. Jesus frequently uses
the image of a harvest to convey the coming of God's reign on earth. The
harvest is the fruit of labor and growth, which begins with the sowing of
seeds, then growth, and finally fruit for the harvest. In like manner, the Word
of God is sown in the hearts of receptive men and women who submit to God and
honor Him as their Lord and King. The harvest Jesus has in mind is not only the
people of Israel, but also all people and nations of the world. "For God
so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in
Him shall not perish but have eternal life" (Jn 3:16).
We will have total joy, love and peace that
can only come from Him, who is love. In the meantime we continue on our
journey, Jesus came as the sacrificial lamb to make atonement for our sins and
the sins of the whole world. We, in turn, must be willing to sacrifice and give
our lives in humble service of our Lord and our neighbors, bringing those who
are non-believers in closer union with God. Jesus told us that He came to the
world to call sinners to Himself and show them the way to the Father (cf. Mk
2:17).
Jesus commissions the seventy-two disciples to
a two-fold task: to speak in His name and to act with His power. He gives them
instructions as to how they are to carry out their ministry. They must give
their full attention to the proclamation of God's Kingdom and not be diverted
by other lesser things. They must travel light, taking only what is essential
and leaving behind whatever will distract them in order to concentrate on the
task of speaking the Word of God. They must do their work, not for what they
can get out of it, but for what they can give freely to others, without
expecting special privileges or rewards. Jesus wants His disciples to be
dependent upon Him.
In St. Luke's Gospel we see Jesus as a person
who is most concerned about the poor and lowly, and ready to associate with
everyone. Both Luke, himself, and the Jesus he presents in his Gospel, model
the heart of a disciple following Jesus Christ. Do we give witness to the truth
and joy of the Gospel?
Be dependent on Jesus!