Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The harvest is great but the laborers are few. Jesus is not speaking about priests and nuns and monks because they did not exist. He is speaking of all who are following him, today we would say all the baptized, all of us. All are called to work in the harvest. Are you working there?
The mission is one. To work in the harvest, no matter our state in life, is to work with Christ, to be with Christ. It is not to work for ourselves which only makes us tired. The pay for working with Christ is joy and peace. He wants us to have a full life. We don’t know the day or the hour when he will call us. Perhaps it is today that a big miracle will occur. He might cure the mute devil in us. He might give us the courage to speak not only with church people but even in the office or with friends. What do you do when you see someone stealing at work or watching bad things on the internet? Perhaps God will cure our muteness and inspire us to say something. Many Christians have a mute devil. A Christian can be mute not only with words but with his/her life.
A Christian is called to show Christ to others, to turn away from the world. If you are a pagan disguised as a Christian, like me, we cannot witness to Christ. A Christian has the smell of Christ; he/she has a good perfume. It is not the perfume of your grandmother. The Christian helps the other to see the love of God in their life. This is what it means to work in the vineyard. This is the most gratifying work in the world, and it makes one extremely happy. To give your life to bring Christ to others is fantastic. If we bring only ourselves, we become frustrated, and it will end badly. Let the Lord into your life so that you can bring him everywhere you go, even the places that you don’t like. In the end you will be happy and full of joy. People used to comment when my mother was sick with dementia: you take her everywhere! I did and it wasn’t always easy. We are called to bring Christ with us wherever we go.
If you want an experience of heaven here on earth, bring Christ into your marriage, your sickness, your old age, or loneliness. When the Lord comes, which might be today, will he find fruit in you? What kind of fruit does he want? Just look at the cross and you will find your answer. He wants you to love the other unconditionally, as he did. A Christian is one who gives his life freely for the other and is repaid with enormous peace and joy.