“Laborers for the Kingdom” by Beth DeCristofaro
At my first defense, no one appeared on my behalf, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them! But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it. (2 Timothy 4:16-17)
The Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them,"The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so, ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. … Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, 'The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.' (Luke 10: 1-2, 8-9)
Piety
The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen. (2 Tim 4:18)
Study
Luke, the Evangelist, was of course also a doctor much as Paul was a net maker – both had “day jobs” but preaching was their vocation, mission, their focused life in Jesus the Christ. Knowing this makes me hear Jesus’ words about the labor for the harvest with new insight.
In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus told the Pharisees: “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” (Mark 2:17) The footnote to the NAB explains that Jesus was pointing out to them that in their self-righteousness they could not hear nor respond to his invitation to repent and put their faith in the gospel.[i]
In today’s Gospel, two of Jesus’ primary instructions are to cure the sick and say to (people in the towns), The Kingdom of God is at hand for you. Not to stretch an image, but Jesus is offering health of body, soul, heart to a world lost and in pain. His directives tell us very succinctly how to love our neighbor as ourselves. We are to tend to each other’s ills be they physical, mental, societal, geographical, emotional or negatively affect their lives in any way. And, at the same time, we are to offer the joy of the Kingdom to each other. Our service is not to be miserly or in order to earn recompense. Our ministry should be rooted in our role as one of the contemporary “seventy-two,” seeing Christ in the eyes of the Other.
This, of course, can’t be accomplished if relationships with our neighbor are inherently unequal. Paul indicated who deserted him and who sustained him – which of the early leaders was, indeed, his neighbor in Christ. Paul rebuked early Christian communities that set up caste systems designating who was invited into worship and meal while he held up as models those who sold their riches for the good of the community. Even in prison, Paul rejoiced in the new life with which Jesus endowed him upon his conversion. The joy of the Kingdom holds fast when one has childlike trust that God is good and loves us despite how inadequately we love our neighbor. And believe that God gives us another chance each day in our lives to proclaim 'The Kingdom of God is at hand for you (and me).'
Action
Jesus’ words to Luke, had they met in person, might well have been “You have been a physician for men and women, come, follow me now and be a physician to souls.” What has Jesus asked of us? Am I just standing by, am I caring for my neighbor in Christ or am I deserting those whom I feel are not deserving?
Illustration: “HARVEST & THANKSGIVING”, http://www.spucconsummit.org/cms2/index.php/our-church/stained-glass-windows?showall=1
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