14th Sunday Ordinary Time C 6.7.25 Harvest
Our Lord issues instructions to the 72 disciples. There is a tone of urgency to the whole matter. Take no provisions; we have a world to save, we must get to it.
Gathering in the harvest is a symbol of salvation, as people who walk in the dark see a great light (Is 9,2). The harvest is rich and must be gathered. The labourers are few.
The harvest refers primarily to people, individual souls. We draw them in from all over the world.
The sooner we can gather them in the more quickly we can gather those who are still resisting in some way. We hope to gain momentum in the task.
There are walls of resistance which we need to get around.
We say to the doubters: turn to God and obey Him. Cast your sins before Him and He will forgive. Serve Him and you will find the key that opens ever door.
To come from death to life is our reward when we do this. Thie behavior to which we are called equals the reward that is offered. Once you are working in the kingdom of God you are happy. To know His ways is to live in the kingdom.
We come to understand that what we believe in is better than all the alternatives. False religions, no religion – they all lead to darkness.
We believe that we possess the truth, but we do not think ourselves superior. We marvel at God's goodness in a respectful way, not thinking ourselves better than others.
It is hard to sell a truth which repels as it attracts. People would come here for free food or drink etc, but heavenly truth makes certain demands, such as discipline and self–restraint.
Worldly pleasure can be more attractive, at first. Would you prefer a free meal or some gradual growth in virtue?
The physical lays strong claim on us, being more instantaneous. But the spiritual wins out over time. If we do things God's way we experience great joy. Can we believe it? Try it and see!
This could be seen as another meaning of the harvest.
We have such richness around us in terms of the word of God to teach us, and the grace of God to enable us.
It is as easy as reaching out and taking. When we make any sort of movement towards God we cannot fail to gain something from the operation. We are harvesting God’s goodness.
We are offering Heaven and the way to Heaven, as both happy states.
The idea of harvesting people would arouse some objection as to individual liberty etc.
But we are talking about voluntary submission to captivity, to become a slave for love of God (Rm 6,22). There is no harm in this, in fact joy.
And for us too, though we already possess the faith. We continuously reach out for more, and are refreshed. More of God, more of goodness. Our faith is rekindled and grows stronger.
It is just a matter of seeing what is there and always has been, but can be missed.
It will often require self-discipline or sacrifice of some kind. St Paul say: I am crucified to the world (Ga 6,14).
Whatever we give up will come back in greater amounts.
Is St Paul too intense? He is just expressing what we find if we take this path.
We are supposed to be intense, not with a wild-eyed manner, but simply pursuing the logic of one good decision after another.
We move into these truths. They are bigger than we are. And we know they are worth having even if we do not have them yet.
Thus the urgency of the disciples’ mission. We need all this to sort out as soon as possible. The harvest is rich and waiting for us!
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