Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
God’s work is not easy… even in a country that guarantees freedom of speech and freedom of worship. Jesus himself admits that the work of evangelizing the world is very hard: the harvest is plenty, the but the laborers are few, he says. Those who respond to Jesus’ invitation to go out into the fields and gather in the harvest do not go alone. They go with co-workers who pray for them and with them; who come to their aid in times of trouble and uphold them whenever they get weary or discouraged. But still, God's work is not easy.
St. Paul’s letter to the Galatians helps us to understand that spiritual freedom is rooted not in our citizenship in America, but in our faith in Jesus Christ. Faith sets us free from the power of evil, and from all that can harm us. Faith in Christ gives the confidence to speak the truth and live the gospel, even if some people object or nobody else cares. Faith helps us persevere in prayer and good works, and gather in the harvest even in the worst of growing seasons. So, may the Eucharist we receive today set us free from fear and whatever else may enslave us, and send us forth today with a stronger faith in Christ, so that we can be laborers for the Lord, even if it is hard work.