Imagine for a moment you are the owner of a successful vineyard in Napa, California. At harvest time your manager reports a bumper crop of grapes. The vines have produced such an abundance of fruit that it is necessary to hire additional workers to bring in the harvest. In response to that good news, you happily authorize your manager to hire as many people as needed. You certainly would not let the grapes rot on the vine because you refuse to increase the number of harvesters.

 

In this Sunday’s Gospel (Matthew 9:36-10:8), Jesus speaks about an abundant harvest—not of grapes but of people. As he went from town to town and saw the large crowds attracted to his message, “Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.”

 

In response to this need, Jesus summoned twelve disciples to assist him. After instructing them, Jesus told them to go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel: “As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”

 

In our day, there is a need for more people to continue that work of proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel and inviting people into a relationship with Jesus Christ. As Jesus told his disciples, “The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”

 

As we are aware, in our day the number of priests and religious continues to decrease, and to decrease dramatically in certain dioceses. At the same time, the number of people in need of hearing the saving message of the Gospel increases. The Church continually urges us to pray for an increase of vocations so there will be more priests, deacons, and religious to gather in the harvest.

 

But despite our prayers, there seems to be little to no increase in vocations. Can it be that the Lord, the master of the harvest, is not interested in increasing the number of those sent to gather his harvest? Can the Lord be like a vineyard owner who lets an abundant crop of grapes remain on the vine, rather than hire more harvesters?

 

Or it may be that our prayers are being heard. The Lord is sending sufficient workers to bring in his harvest: he is sending us. At our Baptism and Confirmation, we were called to share the Good News of the Gospel with others and make the Kingdom of God present in our world by our way of living.

 

As we pray for an increase in the number of priests and religious, we cannot overlook the fact that we are among the additional workers the Lord has “hired” to gather his harvest.

 

© 2026 Rev. Thomas Iwanowski