God Sends Workers into the Harvest Field

God Sends Workers into the Harvest Fields of Faith

Let us give thanks and praise

The stabbing death of an elderly priest as he is saying Mass in Rouen, France has opened my eyes to a new reality: one day we too may have to bear the same cross as did Christ. This reality was reinforced as the day of his martyrdom was July 25, the feast day of St James. The Apostles James too answered the question Jesus asks in the gospel of the day: “Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?” James too was “killed by the sword” as was Fr Jacques Hamel in France.

Fr Hamel read Matt20:20-28 many times in his lifetime. He probably answered, ”We can.” We can drink the chalice of suffering and death as did Christ, but it was probably in another context, not as the blood of martyrs being “the seed of Christians.” (Tertillian)

Did he ever imagine he would be the seed to produce a harvest of faith for his parishioners? For the world?

In his old age he most likely imagined he would be united with Christ through his physical suffering of loss and disability, and would bear fruit through his faithfulness, “ so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.” (first reading of feast of St James)

Fr Hamel has answered the call of Peter when Christ asks: ”Do you love me?” and like Peter he answers, “You know I love you, Lord.” He has given all to Christ.

Fr Hamel probably thought his harvest field extended only to farmers and villagers in a small region of France. Yet he has opened the eyes of the world to the ultimate calling of response of love against hate; of truth against evil. For this he will be borne up to the presence of God, raised also to new life as was James. He has responded: “Everything indeed is for you; so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God.”(Cor4:15) Again, this too is from the first reading of the Mass for St James.

Let us hope we too can imitate St James and Fr Hamel, being faithful laborers in the harvesting of souls for Christ.