Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St Matthew, we are told that Jesus saw the sins of mankind…Imagine what Jesus saw????!!!! - Keeping in mind the purity of his Sacred Heart - The very thought is terrifying! - Yet he willing sacrificed and died for us…He also set up a structure, a Church, for us to receive what we ALL need - Sacramental grace….”At the sight of the crowds, Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest”…….Again, because Jesus is God, he sees what we do not - Notice he stated - “The harvest is abundant” - When you look at the nightly news - Do you have the same sentiment?….When you walk down the main streets of the major cities of the world - Do you say to yourself? - “The harvest is abundant” - Probably not! - But Jesus does - Why? - Because Jesus “sees” our potential…..Within each soul there is the “spark of God” - If we only saw what Jesus sees!….The closer we get to God, the more we will “see” too - “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they will see God”…God can turn great sinners into saints - God has done this for two thousand years……And only saints change the world - Only the example of saints, animated by the Holy Spirit can move souls - Transform societies - And chart new paths forward…..”Then he summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness”……..This mandate is not “man-made”, the Catholic Church, while made up of men is divinely inspired - It is also divinely driven and fueled….This is why the world is powerless against it…And if we bind ourself to Mother Church, by living in the state of grace - We too will change the world!
“The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel”
I work in New York City and after getting off the bus in the morning, I walk roughly a mile to my office….As I walk, I pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet for everyone who comes across my path….And during that walk, I see so many souls in the state of distress! - Both rich and poor alike…..Many times I think of how God must mourn due to the “poverty of spirit” that walks across my path each day in New York City….Many times I think of the words of Jesus during my daily walks…..”As he drew near, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If this day you only knew what makes for peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. For the days are coming upon you when your enemies will raise a palisade against you; they will encircle you and hem you in on all sides. They will smash you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another within you because you did not recognize the time of your visitation”…….To this very day, the Lord walks in our midst - We each are given a chance to open our hearts to God - To say YES - To begin the journey of transformation that is grounded in daily prayer, fasting and Sacramental living….Each soul has this opportunity! - No one is “so lost” that they cannot “be raised from the living-dead”……This is why “the harvest is abundant”
“As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give”
Today in St Matthew Gospel, Jesus gives the twelve disciples their “marching orders” - Guess what? - We too are given the same “marching orders” - Each Baptized Catholic is “called” by name - We each have something to do!…..I believe when we stand before God at the time of our judgement - God will show us not only all the good we have done, as well as our sins - But God will also show us what we could have done - If we trusted in him more….Think about that for a moment…….How are we using the talents we have been given?…..When we read about the lives of the saints, you will find that God called a very diverse “motley crew”!….To this very day, God is calling men and women to holy lives - This is the greatest thing one can do - Become a saint….Because only saints change the world - Is this your priority? - To become a saint?…….. The harvest is STILL abundant - Remember that!……..JMJ
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