Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time_Year A_And Miles to Go Before We Sleep_100123

Deacon Tom Writes,

“And Miles to Go Before We Sleep”

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

In his Apostolic Exhortation, “Evangelii Gaudium, the Joy of the Gospel” Pope Francis wrote “The Church which “goes forth” is a community of missionary disciples who take the first step, who are involved and supportive, who bear fruit and rejoice. An evangelizing community knows that the Lord has taken the initiative, He has loved us first (1 Jn 4:19), and therefore we can move forward, boldly take the initiative, go out to others, seek those who have fallen away, stand at the crossroads and welcome the outcast!” The Pope’s reflection here captures well the image Matthew uses in today’s gospel of the Father sending his sons into the field to do the work that He wishes to be done. In this gospel passage and Francis’ comment, we have a vivid picture of our task as missionary disciples: we have been asked to proclaim, witness and serve God’s reign of love, salvation and justice throughout our life’s journey and to those we encounter along the way.

In our readings today, a father instructs each of his two sons to “go work in the vineyard today.” We observe normal human behavior at work in this reading, reminiscent, perhaps, of days when we told our children to do something and they behaved similarly, one saying, “Yes” but doesn’t follow through; the other saying “No” but does. Both have been given a chore; only one obeys! Today’s gospel message is God’s request of us, His children, to bring His message of love, compassion, forgiveness and mercy to others, to a friend or neighbor who has given up on church, perhaps, or has been going through a difficult time and feels no one cares. There are many who need to know God loves them. There are so many who feel that God has abandoned them or is punishing them and they have isolated themselves from a parish community. Pope Francis is reminding us that we have all been called to share His love, mercy and healing with others. This is the Joy of the Gospel, the Good News, to be shared with the lonely, those who are afraid and those who have fallen away from their faith. We are all active players in the work of spreading the Joy of the Gospel. There are no passive players, no benchwarmers. Spreading the gospel, being missionaries, and evangelizing – being joyful transmitters of the faith that we believe - is a requirement imposed upon us by our Baptism.

Many Catholics resist this notion of being “missionaries”, of “evangelizing” or being “sent” to engage in “missionary activity.” That is primarily because so many of us have a limited understanding of the word “mission”. We associate it with going to the far reaches of the earth to preach the faith. True, many have done this – vis-a-vie the Maryknoll Fathers, the missionary arm of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, over the past century. But, over the years, we have come to a better understanding about the nature of mission work to include any work that we do to “gossip the gospel” that is, to tell others how the gospel is alive and working in our life, is missionary work. Any effort we do to help a neighbor because of our willingness to be a “servant” as demonstrated by Christ, is missionary work. Any sacrifice we make for others because of our love of God is a sacrifice that makes us a “missionary”.

What we know about mission from the profound writings of recent popes is that the Church doesn’t have a mission; rather, the mission has a Church… So, when Jesus tells his disciples, “Go, make disciples of all nations”, that’s what we are to do… How are we to do that? As a community of missionary disciples sent out by our Church to whom that mission has been entrusted.

Enjoy the day and may God bless the work of your hands….
Deacon Tom

 

Please Visit www.deaconspod.com and listen in as the three deacs engage in a contemporary conversation exploring the treasures our Catholic faith has to offer to those thinking of coming into or leaving it.

 

OTHER RESOURCE

 

Recommended Reading: Come Forth: The Promise of Jesus's Greatest Miracle  According to Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM Fr. Martin dives deep into the Gospel story to reveal how Jesus's greatest miracle can help each of us experience the new life that God promises. Come Forth is a spiritual masterpiece."

 

Recommended YouTube Video:  The Heart of Centering Prayer: Part 4 of 4 by Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault