“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.
Go on your way;
behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.”
Luke 10:2-4
Happy Saturday and Happy Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist! St. Luke, who authored a significant portion of the New Testament, had a profound impact on the early Church. Today’s Gospel reading from the Gospel of Luke includes a quote from Jesus that would have been keenly felt by St. Luke.
As a companion of Paul and an evangelist, St. Luke was keenly aware of the feeling of being sent “like lambs among wolves.” Persecution of the early Church was intense, and Christians like St. Luke faced uncertainty about how they would be received from day to day. Simply being a Christian could lead to death, let alone proclaiming the Gospel in the streets. No wonder “the laborers are few.”
While we may not face death for professing our faith, various forms of persecution can still discourage us from being laborers in the harvest. The fear of being ostracized by family, friends, or coworkers can deter us from living our faith publicly. In my experience here in Appalachia, the Catholic faith is often misunderstood. Catholics, even among fellow Christians, are sometimes treated negatively because of misconceptions about what the Church teaches, rather than its actual teachings. One purpose of this ministry is to clarify these misunderstandings about Catholicism in a region where it is often misrepresented. I say this not to boast of bravery, as I, too, often succumb to the fear of losing my job, friends, or acceptance from those I love because of my faith.
Today’s regular reading, from Luke 12:8-12, includes Jesus’ words: “I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God. But whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God.” In this passage, also from St. Luke, we see the importance of publicly living out our faith and spreading the Good News entrusted to us. As Christians, we should find comfort in what God has done for us and the hope He has given us. The Gospels encourage us to store up treasures in Heaven (Matthew 6:19-21). This somewhat mysterious passage can be applied to our reflection today. When we place ultimate importance on earthly things—our jobs, our community standing, or even our lives—we risk denying Christ, even unintentionally. The Gospel calls us to deny ourselves. This can mean many things, but one clear call is to suppress the fears that prevent us from placing Christ at the center of our lives. Whatever that fear may be, we are called to deny it, take up our cross, and follow Christ. St. Luke did this, and it cost him his life, as it did for St. Paul, St. Peter, St. Stephen, St. Ignatius of Antioch, St. Maximilian Kolbe, and so many other great saints and martyrs.
The question is simple: Are we willing to lay down our lives for Christ, as He laid down His life for us? The harvest is plentiful, even today—that is evident. Yet, the laborers remain few because it requires us to lay down our lives, perhaps not literally, but in a radical way, choosing a life that goes against the flow of society and thus costing us our lives as we know them.
St. Luke, pray for us!