Advent - Dec. 6

December 6

Matthew 9:35-10:1-8 (NRSV)

"The Harvest Is Great, the Laborers Few

³⁵ Then 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. ³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; ³⁸ therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

The Twelve Apostles

10 Then Jesus^[a] summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. ² These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; ³ Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;^{[b] 4} Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.

The Mission of the Twelve

⁵ These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, ⁶ but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷ As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’^{[c] 8} Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers,^[d] cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment.'


Here is the reading for today from my daily devotion book called "Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals." Perhaps St. Nick should be added to the list of apostles?

"The original 'Old Saint Nick' who inspired the traditions of Santa Claus, Nicholas was bishop of Myra in fourth-Century Turkey. Little is known about his life except that he entrusted himself to Jesus at an early age and, when his parents died gave all their possessions to the poor. While serving as bishop, Nicholas learned of three girls who were going to be sold into slavery by their father. Moved to use the church's wealth to ransom the lives of these little ones, he tossed three bags of gold through the family's window."

12 million children are trafficked each year in the global sex trade. Today is the 236th day since 273 Nigerian school girls were kidnapped. People are lying on the streets and in malls in Pittsburgh in protest of police brutality.  We each need to be apostles and St. Nicks and be the hands and feet of Jesus working in the world for peace and love.

 

 "Jesus needs you to work in his fields, to go out and preach his message of love."
- daily reading suggestion taken from the Advent 2014 calendar published by Creative Communications for the Parish.