labourers at the harvest

The Roman Catholic Lectionary today presents texts which are used to commemorate Timothy and Titus. The letters to these early Church leaders have an ecclesiology, according to Friar Jude Winkler, which place them at a time in the Church after the death of Paul. The encouragement given Timothy to find courage in his faith indicates that persecution was a reality for these leaders. The psalmist proclaims the mission to glorify God. The Gospel from Luke (in the Canadian lectionary) provides advice to the seventy labourers in the harvest to go out in the environment which is possibly hostile as lambs among wolves who proclaim and bless people with peace. The missionary is one with those who are visited and he shares their needs and kindness bringing whatever healing the Presence of the Spirit invokes in their lives. The movement toward others is the action of the worker in the vineyard. The Spirit attracts people to God and addresses their needs.