2nd Thursday of Advent (December 11). The harassed and helpless

Prepare to Listen.  Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.
 
Prayerfully Read Matthew 9:35-38
35Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness.  36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.  37Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
 
Prayerfully Wonder and Reflect
Whom, in your community, would you describe as “harassed and helpless”?
 
In all the cities and villages, Jesus taught in their synagogues, proclaimed the good news, cured every disease and every sickness.  Not surprisingly, crowds gathered.  What they hoped for, what their mood was, Matthew doesn’t say.  Despite being busy and on the move, Jesus saw the crowd and saw their need.  He described them as “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”  His gut response to them was compassion.  And yet, he didn’t offer to shepherd them or invite them to follow him.  Neither did he send his disciples to shepherd them.
 
It would make sense to at least send the disciples to shepherd these helpless and harassed people.  But Jesus never does the expected.  Instead, speaking only to his disciples, he told them the crowd was like a plentiful harvest ready for gathering in.  Their task, he said, was to pray, not jump in and gather in the harvest, just pray for them.  This is one of the rare occasions, outside the Lord’s prayer, that Jesus is specific about what to pray for—send out laborers, not shepherds.  He made no demands that day on his disciples, just told them to pray.
 
As they prayed, they no doubt came to realize that they were the answer to their prayer.  They were to labor among the harassed and helpless people after Jesus’ ascension.  They did.  Now it’s up to us.
 
Think of the harassed and helpless in your town.  What’s your prayer for them?
 
Prayerfully Respond
Lord of the harvest, there are many harassed and helpless people in the world today, including in my society.  Please send laborers out into your harvest to guide them to you.  Amen.
 
Live obediently.  Pray to the Lord of the harvest for laborers.