SENDING LAMBS AMONG WOLVES - 10/18/22 (Feast of St. Luke)

Luke 10:2-3

“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.” 

For the full readings, click here: 

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101822.cfm

Blessed Feast of St. Luke! St. Luke is one of the four authors of the Gospel. Through his writings, we did not just learn more the life of Christ, but it also included some important aspects in the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary. St. Luke was not part of the original 12 disciples or even the 12 apostles, but he's a missionary who worked alongside St. Paul. Besides the Gospel, he was also the author of the Acts of the Apostles which recorded the spread of the early Church after the ascension of the Lord together with the martyrdom of the followers of Christ and the conversion of many people. St. Luke accepted the calling he received from God to be a missionary and to write these historical events, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, because of his desire for people to know the salvation from God and to enter His Kingdom. This is why our Lord Jesus tells us to pray and to ask God to send more people who would labor for His Kingdom. 

When we pray that there may be an increase in the religious life and an increase of people who share the gospel, it's necessary for us to know first why the laborers are few. Why is this the case? One reason may be that the priority of this culture is no longer centered on God. Some people, even if they are raised in the Catholic faith, do not see the importance of salvation and eternal life in heaven. When a person has this perspective, he will be more open to the ways of the world and to numerous temptations that are contrary to God's will. When Jesus speaks of the laborers who are few, He is reminding us to also pray for the conversion of sinners. Once a person realizes the importance of God in his life, he will be more open to the will of God on how we can be an instrument for the salvation of other people. 

As we pray for the increase of people who love God and for conversion of sinners, let's also pray that the people whom God calls may find strength from God. They may be the priests, religious brothers and sisters, monks, nuns, deacons, and even the laity who all have the duty to live and share the Catholic faith. Our Lord says that He is sending His lambs among the wolves. The truth is that when we go against the world, we will experience strong opposition from them. We may receive harsh words because our faith is contrary to worldly lifestyle. At the same time, we should be cautious because there are many occasions of sins around us. Even our friends can tempt us to go against the teachings of the Catholic Church, engage in sins like lust and many more. Let's not be surprised when we find the battle to defend the truth of the Catholic faith to be difficult because we are up against evil spirits. When Jesus speaks of the lambs who are sent among the wolves, this should inspire us to call upon our Lord who is our Good Shepherd. May we beg for His strength to remain faithful to His will amidst the temptations that we face everyday. May we persevere in trusting in God even if we hear many blasphemies spoken against Him and the Catholic Church. God is always in our hearts protecting His lambs among the wolves. 

Amen +

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

 

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic

Life of St. Luke:

https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/october-18--st-luke/

Ultimate Catholic Parents Guide:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ls6IcexZAls

Summary and Defense of Catholic Teachings:

https://www.catholic.com/tract/pillar-of-fire-pillar-of-truth

Examination of Conscience and Guide to Sacrament of Confession:

https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/examination-of-conscience/