The Harvest is Plentiful, but the Labourers are Few

July 06, 2021, Tuesday
Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Green)
(Opt. Mem.) Saint Maria Goretti, Virgin, and Martyr (Red)
CYCLE B - YEAR I
Lectionary: 384

Reading I
Gn 32:23-33

In the course of the night, Jacob arose, took his two wives,
with the two maidservants and his eleven children,
and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.
After he had taken them across the stream
and had brought over all his possessions,
Jacob was left there alone.
Then some man wrestled with him until the break of dawn.
When the man saw that he could not prevail over him,
he struck Jacob’s hip at its socket,
so that the hip socket was wrenched as they wrestled.
The man then said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”
But Jacob said, “I will not let you go until you bless me.”
The man asked, “What is your name?”
He answered, “Jacob.”
Then the man said,
“You shall no longer be spoken of as Jacob, but as Israel,
because you have contended with divine and human beings
and have prevailed.”
Jacob then asked him, “Do tell me your name, please.”
He answered, “Why should you want to know my name?”
With that, he bade him farewell.
Jacob named the place Peniel,
“Because I have seen God face to face,” he said,
“yet my life has been spared.”
At sunrise, as he left Penuel,
Jacob limped along because of his hip.
That is why, to this day, the children of Israel do not eat
the sciatic muscle that is on the hip socket,
inasmuch as Jacob’s hip socket was struck at the sciatic muscle.

Responsorial Psalm
17:1b, 2-3, 6-7ab, 8b and 15

R.    (15a)  In justice, I shall behold your face, O Lord.

Hear, O LORD, a just suit;
    attend to my outcry;
    hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.

R.    In justice, I shall behold your face, O Lord.

From you let my judgment come;
    your eyes behold what is right.
Though you test my heart, searching it in the night,
    though you try me with fire, you shall find no malice in me.

R.    In justice, I shall behold your face, O Lord.

I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
    incline your ear to me; hear my word.
Show your wondrous mercies,
    O savior of those who flee from their foes.

R.    In justice, I shall behold your face, O Lord.

Hide me in the shadow of your wings.
I in justice shall behold your face;
    on waking, I shall be content in your presence. 

R.    In justice, I shall behold your face, O Lord.

Alleluia
Jn 10:14

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;
I know my sheep, and mine know me.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL
Mt 9:32-38

After they had gone away, a demoniac who was mute was brought to him. And when the demon had been cast out, the one who had been mute spoke; and the crowds were amazed and said, 'Never has anything like this been seen in Israel.' But the Pharisees said, 'By the ruler of the demons he casts out the demons.' Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.'

REFLECTION:

Sometimes we seem to be like the mute demoniac, we find it so difficult to speak about what we believe in, we seem too embarrassed to speak to others about God and our faith. I ask Jesus to set me free from this fear.

When we pray to the Lord to send laborers into his harvest we often think of the religious life and sometimes forget that Jesus calls each person to be a disciple of his love. Help me Lord to be caring and compassionate to those around me, recognizing that it is often through the small and invisible things that I do for others that I can contribute to the building of your kingdom.

PRAYER:

I can be a laborer in the harvest by being compassionate to those around me. I pray for the gentleness, wisdom, and courage that I may need