“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.’” (MT 9: 36-38)
Our Lord “was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned.” We know that Our Lord was, is and will be the same, and what was in His heart in the past time is in His heart today. And whenever He sees “troubled and abandoned” people, He will “send out laborers” to comfort them because He is “the good shepherd and He knows His sheep.”
“I am the good shepherd, says the Lord; I know my sheep, and mine know me.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“While Jesus was speaking, an official came forward, knelt down before him, and said, ‘My daughter has just died. But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.’ Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples.” (MT 9: 18-19)
Whoever came to Our Lord asking for help: “my daughter has just died. But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live” could expect His immediate reaction: “Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples.” We can follow Him too. Sometimes it will be our neighbour, sometimes an old friend, sometimes somebody else, but always “lay your hand on him/her” to bring life back.
“Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death and brought life to light through the Gospel.” (Gospel
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” (MT 11: 28-30)
Our Lord knows perfectly how difficult it is to be His disciples in this world where in business people expect from us effects and results and where in relationships people expect from us only pleasure. He knows what “labor and burden” means because people were enjoying His presence when He gave them bread and cured their sick, but in the end, they crucified Him. He teaches us: “learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest.”
“Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“The disciples of John approached Jesus and said, ‘Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.” (MT 9: 14-15)
Our Lord gave us a perfect strategy for the moments when “the bridegroom is taken away from” us or when we feel abandoned, misunderstood and c0mpletly lonely—this is a time for fasting. When we have a difficult time in our marriage, when we have no time for ourselves, when we do not talk about ourselves at all, when our rituals are gone—that is the time for fasting, e.g. by leaving something important for ourselves to do–something important for our spouse.
“My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples. The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?’” (MT 9: 10-11)
We also have many questions for Jesus because our vision of the world and what should be done by Jesus is based on our experience and our wounds. Sometimes we will prefer to keep Jesus alone at our house and at our table and will not be happy to share Him with others, especially with sinners or modern “tax collectors.” But we know why He came and why He needs to be with those who are in special need. Because when we are in need, He will be with us for sure.
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest, says the Lord.”
“After entering a boat, Jesus made the crossing, and came into his own town. And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.’” (MT 9: 1-2)
Our Lord gives us always what is the most important. In the hierarchy of values we teach during the Programs, our relationship with God is the most important. First comes the “message of reconciliation”: “your sins are forgiven,” second a consequence: “Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”
“God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“When Jesus came to the territory of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met him. They were so savage that no one could travel by that road.” (MT 8: 28)
Our Lord is always with us. He protects us and leads us to heaven. He knows how difficult, or even dangerous, our roads can be, so He is always ahead of us to make our journey safe.
“The Father willed to give us birth by the word of truth that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“They came and woke him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We are perishing!’ He said to them, ‘Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?’ Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm.” (MT 8: 25-26)
How often we say the same: “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” Especially when our marriage is in crisis, when we are alone and misunderstood, or when many other situations occur, when we come to Him with our fears and trust Him, He will “rebuke the winds and the sea,” and we will experience the same as the apostles.
“I trust in the LORD; my soul trusts in his word.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.’ Thomas answered and said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.’” (JN 20: 27-29)
This blessing goes to every generation and every person: “blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” And we receive this blessing because of St. Thomas’ lack of faith. How often our faults or weaknesses become places of special grace and growth.
“You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me, says the Lord; blessed are those who have not seen, but still believe!” (Gospel Acclamation)
“When it was evening, they brought him many who were possessed by demons, and he drove out the spirits by a word and cured all the sick, to fulfill what had been said by Isaiah the prophet: He took away our infirmities and bore our diseases.” (MT 8: 16-17)
Our merciful Lord came to proclaim God’s love to us. “He drove out the spirits by a word and cured all the sick.” We can come to Him personally; we can “bring Him many who are” sick or possessed; we can bring Him our marriages, our conflicts and need for a new job. He came to “bear our diseases.”
“Christ took away our infirmities and bore our diseases.” (Gospel Acclamation)
