Homily: July 5, 2022, Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

 “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so, ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest”.

This is a commonly used passage when the church calls for prayers for vocations, especially the vocation to the priesthood and religious life.

But priests and religious are not the only labourers in God’s salvific plan. Every baptised catholic has the same call to save souls but in different vocations: married or single, lay or religious. Truly, few labourers do not refer to priests only, but few are those who follow God’s will.

So, when we pray for vocations, we should not pray for our young people to specifically respond to the priesthood or religious life, but we should pray that they would listen clearly to God’s voice, know His plans for them and accomplish His will with courage.

When I was younger, I wanted to become a very good and wealthy farmer, a labourer in the cardamom fields. I had my dreams. But God’s plan was different.

I could have followed my own plans but deep in me, I knew I should follow God’s call. Even now, when things get tough and I feel incompetent in dealing with the challenges of my priestly duties, I would again wonder if farming would have been more suitable for me. But God’s will be done. I am still here, a priest breaking bread for His people and am happy doing so.

The loud noises of this world often drown out the soft and gentle voice of the Lord. Let us pray to the Lord of the harvest to send more labourers to His field. And may all who hear His voice, respond to His call courageously: clergy, religious or lay, married or single. Amen.


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