Devotion 

The Laborers Are Few

Frances Taylor 

When Jesus says that the harvest is abundant but the laborers are few, do you think he was only talking about his time here on earth, or was he talking about now as well? If statistics are correct, most people who identify themselves as Christian do not attend church on a regular basis. Where are the others? Where are the laborers who should be gathering the harvest? We need to pray for men and women to answer the call to minister to God's people but we also need to pray for ourselves to reach out to those who don't understand the value of what we have. Do you talk about the importance of your faith in God with others in your family, your circle of friends? I know that I was told as a child that the two things you don't talk about are religion and politics, but why?

Perhaps when people were refused jobs or housing on the basis of their religious beliefs, it was necessary, but today? If you are in the market for a car – or a computer – who would you talk to? If you only talk to professionals, you might think you're just getting a sales pitch, so you ask your friends or relatives what they own and whether or not they would recommend it. I'm not dismissing the value of those of us who are professionals in the faith department! But I am suggesting that each of us as friend and relative has more influence than we think. We understand how our faith gets us through the tough times. How we welcome the support of our community in times of joy as well as sorrow. We understand the value of faith in our lives. What makes us so afraid to talk about it? At this particular time in our churches and in our world, the need for laborers is great indeed. Will you go out into the fields?

Prayer 

Lord, you have called us by our baptism to be your disciples. Give us the graces we need to go into the fields where you have sent us to bring your message of salvation. Amen.