At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them
because they were troubled and abandoned,
like sheep without a shepherd.
Then he said to his disciples,
"The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest."
Then he summoned his Twelve disciples
and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out
and to cure every disease and every illness.
Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus,
"Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
As you go, make this proclamation: 'The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.'
Cure the sick, raise the dead,
cleanse lepers, drive out demons.
Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give."
REFLECTION
"Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give."
In my childhood, it was common for doctors to make house calls. No matter the time, if we were too sick to go to the office, the doctor would show up with his black bag. As communities grew, the house calls were not as frequent. Now they are a thing of the past. It was always nice to see his smile, his mastery of the art of medicine and, of course, to get well. They were dedicated to their work and willing to sacrifice to help a patient.
Jesus went around to all the towns and villages teaching and proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom and curing every disease and illness. The High Priest and physician gave His disciples authority over unclean spirits and to cure every disease and illness, reminding them, "Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give."
The priests still do that. Our PAPA prayer covers all the priests who have answered the call to do God's work. They labor at home or travel abroad to distant mission fields. They bring us Baptism, Confession, and the Body and Blood of Jesus in Holy Communion. If you are sick and need anointing, they drop everything and visit you at the hospital or at home. They hear confessions when asked, even at airports. If you have a moral, social, or domestic problem, they are there to counsel and advise. Exorcist priests defend the possessed, prolife priests show us how to pray, the local parish priest has a flock to lead to Jesus. They all work for God and have accepted His call.
This Advent help spread the Good News about salvation. His plan continues past the birth, the death and resurrection. It will continue til the end of time when He arrives in His glory. St Ambrose, the Father of the Church, patiently guided St Augustine when he was still in his wayward ways. Alas, St Augustine converted. As God used them, He expects us to do as much as well. When given the opportunity, talk to people about God, show them God by example, and watch the many blessings God has in store for you and them.
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