Acts of the Apostles. 2

June 15, 2008

11^th Sunday of 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.”

Today is Father’s Day, and what better way to give thanks and encouragement to our fathers that to reflect on our Lord telling us to ask the harvest master to call and send laborers for his harvest. We also pray especially for stable families that will provide the foundation of faith for all vocations to the Priesthood and religious life.

Jesus tells us of the urgency of the mission He has called us to: the harvest that is not gathered can be lost. The time of the harvest won’t last forever, and we cannot afford to be negligent to the opportunities we are given to bring Christ to others. The fact that Jesus Christ called the Apostles by name is no mistake. We are Apostles, too, called by name and sent forth to proclaim “the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”

I want to mention in a special way my gratitude for my father as one of the laborers called to the harvest. My dad was born and raised on a farm, and as such, he knew the importance of harvest time. If you missed it, the harvest could be lost and ruined. Responding to the harvest meant you had to pay attention to everything: the ripeness of the crops, the weather, adequate equipment, and sufficient labor. Even though later in life he went on to another line of work, he never forgot that lesson. He was always there to support the family with long hours of work, taking us to practices and games, providing a loving and stable home and family life. Even sending me out to work in the fields was an act of fatherly love. He provided me and my siblings with the foundation for each of our vocations. A true father he is; one who answers the Lord’s call.

One thing I learned from him is don’t be afraid to speak the truth, to bring the faith to others, and to make opportunities out of hardships. Through all of this I experienced the reconciling love of God the Father in our covenant with Christ. As St. Paul says, “We also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, though whom we have now received reconciliation.”

So I want to thank my father for all he has been and for all he has given. But we still need good fathers today. In our “father-less” society, we too often see the consequence of the absence of a father. We need fathers because without them, we lose the harvest; because without them, there are no laborers for the harvest. We need to take a stand for a strong, reinvigorated fatherhood in our culture as we pray for all our fathers.

-Rev. Todd Molinari

http://www.stjosephchurch.com/pastor.html