THE WORD
Hos 8,4-7.11-13 / Mt 9,32-38
As [Jesus and his disciples] were going out, a demoniac who could not speak was brought to him, and when the demon was driven out the mute person spoke. The crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” But the Pharisees said, “He drives out demons by the prince of demons.”
Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, his 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.”
IN OTHER WORDS
Genuine compassion best describes the disposition of Jesus at the sight of the crowds that were “troubled and abandoned, like a sheep without a shepherd.” The epitome of compassion, He performed healing miracles for the people: making the blind see, allowing the lame to walk once again, curing the lepers. It was through compassion that He forgave sinners, reached out to the least, the last and the lost - children, prostitutes, sinners. It was through compassion that He offered his life for you and me.
Jesus uttered the appeal, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” He expected, therefore, that the laborers or the ministers of today would continue His mission and become instruments of compassion and love.
But do the troubled and abandoned, the least, the lost and last today feel the compassion of God from the modern laborers of the harvest? Or are they the exact opposite of the compassionateJesus? This is a timely reminder for all the ministers of the Church today.
Pope Francis gave us an example on how we can become instruments of compassion when he visited the Philippines in January 2015, especially during his mass in Tacloban, Leyte.
I pray then that you and I will become genuine instruments of God’s compassion to others.
- Fr. Gerry E. Paat, SVD | SVD Postulancy, Tagaytay City
The Word in other words 2016
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
