December 6, 2025
First Saturday of Advent
Fr. Giuseppe Gaffurini
"The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few!
Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest,
that he may send laborers into his harvest."
(Mt 9:37b-38)
The term "harvest" immediately reminds us of a field already blonding for harvest, to which there is an urgent need to send an adequate number of laborers for the harvest.
However, the term "harvest" also indicates the abundant crop crammed into barns. In this case the workers would have the task not of harvesting but of distributing with breadth.
Yes, the season of Advent announces to us just that: the abundant gift of God, to be shared with our brothers and sisters who are sick or affected by all sorts of infirmities.
Sometimes the crowds feel tired and exhausted like sheep without a shepherd... but this is not our case. Advent returns every year to remind us that we have a Good Shepherd who cares for every sheep, even the lost ones of the house of Israel...
And at this time, really our prayer, abandoning all geo-political readings and freeing ourselves from "surrendered to evil" interpretations of the present, should intensify for the lost sheep of the house of Israel!
The harvest is abundant! Are we aware of the gift we have received or do we measure ourselves on our own misery, looking around uselessly and trying to go here and there (where?) to glean what we need to live and that is barely enough for ourselves, let alone our brother!
The harvest is abundant! The term "abundant" is a "technical" term that indicates a double measure: God gives me what I need for myself; and He gives me what I need for my brother! Freely you have received, freely give.
We are not sent, then, into the world to seek what the world cannot give, but we are sent to bring God's abundant gift to the world, to announce that the kingdom of heaven is at hand!
Not the earth is near, the earth does not return the dead to us, but heaven raises them up. Not by multiplying the number of words and talkers will we attain peace!
Jesus calls the twelve to Himself!
Abraham in his negotiation with God to save Sodom went down to ten; Jesus calls twelve, twelve are the laborers needed for the abundant harvest!
Sometimes we are tempted not to answer Jesus' call because we are discouraged: even if I said yes, what good would it do, who knows how many are needed? 12! Will we be of the number?
