Daily Gospel Reflection
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July 7, 2019
At that time the Lord appointed seventy-two others
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.
Go on your way;
behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.
Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals;
and greet no one along the way.
Into whatever house you enter, first say,
‘Peace to this household.’
If a peaceful person lives there,
your peace will rest on him;
but if not, it will return to you.
Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you,
for the laborer deserves his payment.
Do not move about from one house to another.
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.'”
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few.” In my position as a doctoral student in chemistry, it can be difficult to identify the daily occasions through which God invites me to serve as one of the laborers gathering and cultivating the harvest on Earth. In the daily shuffle to balance experiments, meetings and other responsibilities, it is easy to feel as though God’s influence is absent.
Upon closer reflection, opportunities to serve others in God’s name abound on a daily basis: from the student struggling with classes and exams, to the colleague navigating the dizzying process of applying for grants and faculty positions. I am called to give of my time, energy and attention to those around me, to step outside of my unrelenting agenda and consider the corporal and spiritual needs of others more carefully. By doing so, I simultaneously strengthen my spiritual relationship with Christ and extend the invitation of God’s love to those around me.
When we consistently incorporate this intentional self-gift into our daily lives, we work for God’s glory rather than our own. In helping to establish God’s kingdom, we find our place within it. We become fishers of men, or laborers for the harvest around us. When we humble ourselves in the service of others, even by doing something as simple as listening to a stranger in need on their own terms and according to their schedule, we become the eyes, hands, and body of Christ working in the world.
If we are to join the disciples as laborers, we must have faith that God will provide for our needs and imbue us with the necessary grace. We must remember that Christ never leaves our side.
Let us today and everyday remember the great gift of love we have been shown by God and endeavor to reflect that love to the others in our lives.
Prayer
Loving God, we give thanks for the way you entrust your work to us and let us share in your mission of bringing about your Kingdom. You send us among wolves wielding nothing but peace. Bring peace to the troubled parts of our lives so that we can more and more depend on it and then begin to witness it to others. We ask that you continue to call more people to join us in your work. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Blessed Maria Romero Meneses was a modern-day social reformer who brought about a “revolution of charity” in Costa Rica.
She was born in Nicaragua in 1902, one of eight children who grew up in an upper class family. Maria received a very good education at a school staffed by sisters in a religious community founded by St. John Bosco, who were know as the Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians.
When she was 12 years old, Maria fell sick with rheumatic fever, and struggled all year to regain her health. She was completely paralyzed for six months, but was patient and prayerful in her suffering, which she saw as a gift from God. Doctors reported that her heart was damaged from the sickness, but she appealed to Our Lady, Help of Christians, and received some sort of assurance that she would be healed.
When a friend from school visited her, she said, “I know that the Blessed Virgin will cure me.” A few days later, she regained her health and returned to school, fully recovered.
A spiritual director helped her sort through and better understand the mystical experiences she was having, and she realized that she was being called to religious life. She joined the Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians and closely followed the spirituality of John Bosco.
In 1931, she was sent to Costa Rica, where she taught at a school for girls from wealthy families. She also went into the poor neighborhoods to teach the faith there and to help people acquire practical skills for work. Her example moved students at the school, and many girls joined her work to improve the lives of the poor.
Maria began to understand her purpose in life—to encourage social development by helping wealthy people see how they could change the lives of poor people. She gathered resources and established recreational centers and food distribution organizations. In 1961, she opened a school for poor girls and a few years later, she opened a clinic and supported it by recruiting doctors and finding donations for medicine.
She had a vision to build a village for poor people that contained all they needed to flourish. In 1973, the first seven homes were built in a new development outside of the city named Centro San Josè—it grew to include a farm, a market, and a school where people could learn the faith and find job training. It also included a church dedicated to Our Lady, Help of Christians.
Maria knew that she was participating in God’s work, so she had every confidence that her efforts at social development would grow. She died of a heart attack on this date in 1977, and she is buried in the chapel in San Josè. She is the first Central American to be beatified.
Bl. Maria Romero Meneses, you brought about a revolution of charity in Costa Rica in the 1970s—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of Bl. Maria Romero Meneses is in the public domain. Last accessed March 19, 2025 on Wikimedia Commons.
