Advent Reflection - Saturday of the First Week of Advent

"The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few; so, ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest." Then he summoned his Twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness.

Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus, "Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: The Kingdom of heaven is at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give."

This year, this Saturday gets squeezed in between the feast of the Immaculate Conception [Dec. 8] and the Second Sunday of Advent [Dec. 10].  Since many parishes don't celebrate a Saturday morning Mass, the commissioning of the Twelve and the first real outreach of Jesus' ministry can be missed, but it is no less important because we would not be celebrating Advent/Christmas if these first missionaries had not done their job!!! The Gospel According to Matthew tells us that Jesus was moved by the plight of the people who seemed like sheep without a shepherd.  He delegates the Twelve (and later on others) to go and proclaim the Kingdom of God and take care of the needs of the people. These two things go together!

We may have to leave exorcisms, and serious health care to professionals, but in the seasons of Advent and Christmas, the ordinary needs often assume greater than usual significance.  Losses like job layoff, chronic physical or mental health problems, a death in the family, and lack of money to provide even a minimal "Christmas" for the family - these situations can become magnified. We are called to "attention" to what is going on around us and to respond, in Pope Francis' words, as "missionary disciples."

We are called to join Jesus, John the Baptist, the Twelve, and all who have proclaimed the Kingdom of God before us to reach out in this season especially to those who are suffering in any way. The birth of Jesus can be manifested in our own proclamation not just in words but in deeds as well!