“He said to them: Great is the harvest, but the workers are few. Pray to the Lord of the harvest that he may send workers for the harvest. God; for I send you as sheep among wolves.”

In the Gospel of Luke 10:1-9 Jesus sends his disciples on mission, saying to beg the owner of the harvest to send more workers, because the workers are few. Still leaving his disciples conscious that they are workers among ferocious wolves. Bringing only what is necessary for the mission, then the Lord will provide what is needed, the order of the Lord is to heal the sick and announce that the reign of God is approaching.

May we be these missionary disciples that the Aparecida Document [Concluding Document from Pope Benedict XVI from the Aparecida Conference with the Conference of Latin American Bishops held at the Shrine of Our Lady Aparecida, Aparecida, SP, Brazil] invites us to be. The mission is very big, the workers are few. We know that the mission is not easy, for we are in the midst of the wolves of the world, swimming against the current of society. But the Lord will guide us, will care for  us, will give us what is necessary. We all can be missionary disciples, it may be in a strange land or in regions more distant from our country or even in your own diocese or parish, being a missionary on the road or even in the house before your family.

May we be instruments of healing for this world in the New Evangelization, may we be new John the  Baptists announcing that the Reign of God is near.

Strong embrace, until next time.

Ademir Costa

The author is a Canção Nova missionary and seminarian.

translated from Portuguese