Matthew 9:32-38

When one goes through the daily news, I guess one cannot refrain from the question, “What are all these things going on in the world today?” 

• When earthquakes are just around the corner…
• When violence is on a scale that is unthinkable…
• When world leaders act like dictators…
• When morality is based on convenience and majority…
• When religion is used to kill…
• When truth is faked and falsified…
• When the Church has its own share of scandals…

Truly, what is happening to the world these days?

While indeed it is our desire to make the world a better place to live in, especially for the next generation, how come many of us would rather be quiet? How many would rather go with the flow? Why rock the status quo?

Edmund Burke once said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Two centuries ago, Jesus already mentioned this reality, “The Harvest is great, the Laborers are few.”

What is the qualification of a Laborer?

1. Faithfulness.  Each life has a purpose/calling/vocation. That is why God has placed us here on earth. If we are faithful to the vocation, we bless other people’s lives. Surely, there will be challenges in the vocation/purpose/calling but if God calls, he will provide the support. Jesus was not exempted. He had his detractors in the ministry, yet continued to do what he was supposed to do.
2. Compassion. Certainly like any human being, Jesus got tired, but one thing that got him going was his compassion. “His heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned like sheep without a shepherd.” A true laborer is one who is compassionate. As the Tagalog song goes, “Walang nabubuhay para sa sarili lamang.”
3. God Fearing. We must remember that our world is composed of the material and the spiritual. The seen and unseen. The greatest battle is in the unseen, according to St. Paul. If there is so much uncertainty and fear in the world today, it is only because we have lost our moral compass. Society does not know what is right or wrong; we are not sure what is important and what is fleeting. Yes, we think that we do not need God and that the devil is a cartoon character. The bible reminds us that the holy fear of the Lord is the start of wisdom.

We continue to pray for more laborers in the  world. Whatever our calling, may we be faithful, compassionate, and God-fearing.