Dear friends,

In today’s Gospel Jesus is moved with pity for his people. Because of the failures of their political and religious leaders, they have become “like sheep without a shepherd.”

So he appoints 12 apostles to share and carry on his mission. This is open contradiction with the praxis of His time when it was the disciples who chose their master.

Why twelve? It is the symbolism of the numbers or numerology: 12 months, twelve tribes twelve apostles. Apostellein: empowered and “sent”. They understood this meaning so much so that when Judas left the group they felt that they had to replace him.

Very strange group of people: so have two names. We know that name stands for person, destiny. Some have Greek names? Since they were exposed to Greek culture; as it happens with the Chinese, who have tow names: along side with the “Chinese” name they have a second name which sounds more familiar with the society the live in. The held different political and religious views and they would have fought among themselves all the time. What kept them together was not a commune religious or political opinion, a commune job or a common place of origin, but a commune love: all of them were in love with Christ.

They are the answer provided by Jesus’ compassion to the need of the people.

When Jesus looks at us, he sees us differently from the way we see ourselves and each other.

He sees our situation as more serious and at the same time as more promising than we perceive it to be.

This is why Jesus is moved by a compassion coming from his innermost heart when he sees the many people around him. We, too, see much need and suffering around us.

Jesus looks deeper He sees the physical and spiritual needs of the people. He knows about the hidden needs that others do not notice. He sees our exhaustion, the weakness of our lives, which is often concealed behind the facade of busyness and enter­tainment. We are inclined to believe that everything is going reasonably well. Jesus sees the lack of direction in our lives, we don’t really know where we are heading we are truly: "like sheep without shepherds".

Jesus’ compassion for us is just the flip side of a great hope: "The harvest is great."

Jesus sees everything we have in us: how many talents there would be but for their lying undeveloped; how much could grow, could become reality if the unfolding of it all were not hindered; how many wounds could be healed if they were treated; how much life, fulfilled life, God wants to give if only there were a breakthrough: "The harvest is great!"

It is like an outcry of the heart when Jesus adds: "But there are too few laborers!"

It hurts to see how rich the harvest would be if only God had enough co-workers to help gather it in. That is why we should ask God, the "Lord of the harvest", for such workers.

Here we have some valuable information. We see that the Church does not exist for herself, for her own end or her own salvation; she exists for others, for the world, for the people, above all for the afflicted and oppressed. At St. Therese we don’t want to survive only, we want to reach out to people because it is through us that salvation can be brought to the Chinese Community. We live in function of.

The late  Vietnamese Cardinal, François-Xavier Van Thuan, who spent 13 years in the communist prisons of his country, said: "I dream of a Church that is a ‘Holy Door’ that is always open, that embraces all, full of compassion, that understands the pain and suffering of humanity, a Church that protects, consoles and guides every nation to the Father who loves us."

At St. Therese, as in all churches, we must continue Jesus mission in the world. Jesus says: "Come to me all who labor and burdened and I will give you rest."

The whole Church must be a "house of relief from suffering. This explains charitable work done by the church all over the world, but most so in developing countries of Africa and Asia.

They do not even seem to be crowds "without shepherds," given that there are so many priests around us: Chicago has a lot of priest and over 700 Deacons, but it is not enough, many are engaged behind desks doing “office work”. Some of them more than shepherds of the people, they look more like bosses, holders of power.

Who are they, these harvest workers? What should we pray for? Jesus straightaway gives the answer himself by call­ing the Twelve, so that they could be such harvest workers of God.

We should pray that some of our children may be called by Christ: but how can it happen if we don’t show sensitivity to the things of God? If we don’t show love and respect for the priesthood?

Does Jesus still call people today as well?  And are people today ready to let themselves be taken into service as God’s harvest workers? 

The harvest is plentiful even at St. Therese. I don’t know if I am blinded by the love for the parish that makes me see things that in reality are not there. But I see the much we could do and the limited man-power we have.

But Jesus’ complaint is valid even today: There are too few helping hands and hearts of this type, considering the great spiritual need of our time.  It is a painful mystery to me why our Parish seems to struggle all the time, happy to keep floating instead that courageously moving on at large.

Why are all the same people helping out? Why the same faces? Why it is so difficult to create a core group of parishioners claiming ownership of this place?

 I don’t have an answer: the answer is with you. Only you can give an explanation.
Last Sunday we expressed gratitude to the people engaged in Parish work. Today we want to pray for more courageous workers in this challenging and rewarding task.