Message of Abbot Paul - Saturday 4th December
Message from Fr Paul for Saturday, 4th December 2021
Time passes so quickly, it’s already the vigil of the Second Sunday in Advent. Just three weeks today will be Christmas Day, but you don’t need reminding of that. We continue reading Matthew today, (Mt: 9 35 – 10: 1, 5, 6-8), whereas tomorrow we will be reading Luke. Matthew focuses on the compassion of Jesus for those suffering in any way and his desire to reach out to as many people as possible, especially the poor and those neglected or rejected by the world around them. Our reading begins with a summary of his activities. “Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness.” As Jesus makes his way on foot from one community to another, he becomes deeply aware of the grave needs of the people, whether material or spiritual. They have been sadly neglected, even abused by both religious and state authorities, hence the proclamation of the Good News of the kingdom and the constant healing of minds and bodies, assuring those suffering of God’s love and tender mercy, made visible in himself.
However, Jesus goes further. “And when he saw the crowds, he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.’” Jesus was moved to compassion: he entered into their suffering and took on himself their sufferings, their burdens and their sins. In the end, this would lead to his Passion and death on the Cross for our redemption. It is in the face of this situation that he utters the famous words about the labourers and the harvest. Jesus wants all his disciples to share with him in the work he has been sent by the Father to do on earth. Although in the Church today these words of Jesus are usually used to talk about vocations and the priesthood, in the context in which Jesus pronounced them, this was not the case. It is the privilege and duty of all those who follow Jesus, and consider themselves to be his disciples, to share with him in this work. Compassion should mark us all.
Then Jesus calls the Twelve together and commissions them to begin the task. This is what Christian discipleship is all about. “He summoned his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to cast them out and to cure all kinds of diseases and sickness. These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them as follows: ‘Go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. And as you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils. You received without charge, give without charge.’” They are to do what he does. They become the co-workers of Jesus, casting out unclean spirits, bringing healing where it is needed and proclaiming that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. They are to do this as volunteers, for all they have has been given them by God and God does not charge! All is to be done and given freely, with a loving and generous heart.
