Saturday of the First Week of Advent Matthew 9:35-10:1, 5a, 6-8 Sent With the Heart of Christ”
In today’s Gospel, we see Jesus in the midst of his Mission of proclaiming, teaching, and healing. These three actions tell us who He is, and who we must become.
First, Jesus proclaims not theories or guesses but certainties—the kind of truth people can build their lives on. Ours is an age that knows much but believes little. Jesus brings the one message that stands firm: God is faithful, God is near, God is for you. Every disciple must share this same confidence: I know whom I have believed.
Faith in Jesus is conveyed more effectively through example than words. In Kandamal, a predominantly Hindu village in Orissa, India, has witnessed numerous vocations to the priesthood and religious life following a period of communal violence. During the violence a few decades ago, priests and nuns faced attacks and sexual abuse, Catholics were chased from their homes, and their properties were destroyed. The world understands Christ best when they see Christ-like behaviour. Every individual is called to serve as a living example of faith.
Jesus is the healer. The Gospels show him again and again moved with a compassion so deep that he could not look on pain, sorrow, hunger, loneliness, or confusion without wanting to lift the burden. The crowds were “bewildered and dejected”—and where others saw useless crowds, Jesus saw a harvest waiting to be gathered.
And then he turns to his disciples and says: “The harvest is great… go.”
The Gospel’s mission is clear: Christ requires workers. While prayer is vital, it isn’t just for requesting others to preach; it’s for us to prepare ourselves as preachers of the Good News—that Jesus is Lord. Each of us is sent—whether to a family member, a coworker, or a stranger—someone in need of healing, truth, or compassion.
We are the reapers of his harvest. May we go with his voice, his wisdom, and above all, his heart.
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