Homily: October 18, 2024, Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist (Harvest).

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

We are the in the harvesting season. 

Back in my homeland, the harvesting season was always a super busy period, because we had to work very fast to take in the harvest within a few days. so that we don’t lose the crops. We would look for extra laborers during that season to help us get the job done on time. More laborers meant a bigger harvest.

Here in this land, harvesting is done in quick time without the need for extra laborers. On a few occasions, my farmer friends have invited me to ride with them in their combine to go around their farms. I saw how with technology, hundreds of acres of crops can be harvested within just a few hours.

Jesus sees this world like a huge farm. With the effective planting of seeds by His apostles and the church, and the nurture of the Holy Spirit, it can yield plentiful fruits. When it is time for harvesting, He will need many of us to bring in the harvest before the evil one destroys the crop.

Heaven has room for everyone. However, many do not know the way, they need direction, guidance, and help to get there. 

They need laborers to bring them into the Kingdom of God. This is the role of discipleship, to draw people to God, to show the way to heaven. This is the duty of all baptized Catholics.

We need everyone, lay people, priests and religious to work together for a plentiful harvest. Our diocese now does not have any new seminarian, and there will be no priestly ordination next year. This is a cause for concern. So Jesus tells us to “Ask the master of the harvest…”

So let us pray and ask, for more men and women to respond to the priestly and religious vocations, to dedicate their lives fully in service to God. Ask and we will receive.

Amen.

 


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Homily, Wednesday,January 5, 2022, Memorial of Saint John Neumann, Bishop

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Christmas Homily 2021,

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