Blessed are all who wait for the Lord. — Isaiah 30:18
Mass reading: Isaiah 30:19-21,23-26 / Matthew 9:35–10:1,5,6-8
The book of Isaiah celebrates the fertility of the land and the richness of God’s creative love. Once a month I drive to the beautiful Napa Valley to offer Mass in Spanish for those who harvest the grapes. What a tragedy it would be if there were no laborers to gather the crops. Jesus, too, worries about the shortage of laborers to harvest the fields where the Holy Spirit has so richly sown His grace.
How do you feel about encouraging your son or daughter to work at Jesus’ side? Last year I celebrated my 50th anniversary as a priest. What a beautiful life. I was an only child and it was a sacrifice for my parents, but they didn’t hold back.
Prayer: Lord, strengthen me to live out my baptismal call to make visible Your presence in our world.