11th Sunday of Ordinary Time (9:36ff) “Minister”

           Jesus commissioned his disciples several times in the Gospels. We remember clearly the great commission, right before Jesus Ascended into heaven. Jesus said, as we recall, “Go forth and make disciples of all nations.”  The words ring out to us as the last instruction Jesus ever gave his followers.

               We have another commissioning story that we read in today’s scriptures. We notice that Jesus is moved to call people to ministry. Why? Because of his compassion. He looks out at the people who have come to him for help. He is pierced to the heart because he realizes that he cannot possibly assist all the people who have sought him out.      

               Somehow it seems like Jesus has read a Stephen Covey book. We remember Covey’s book written many years ago called “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.”  The seven habits boil down to one idea, “delegate.”  Sounds simple enough, but how we fight with the idea of asking people to help us? In the back of our mind, we think, no one can do things with the same degree of competence as I can.

               Jesus realized that he had to overcome that feeling otherwise the simple people who were poor, sick, discouraged, struggling, would be neglected. The people he had recruited to be disciples (learners) had to become apostles (people who were being sent). Jesus wasn’t sending his disciples to do impossible tasks. We read how he asks them to drive out demons. He asks them to cure illness. He limits the scope of their task to the people who live in Israel.

               What did the apostles think as they were called to this ministry? Probably, they reacted as all first-time ministers do. The disciples had a temptation to offer excuses as to why they couldn’t help. The two primary excuses were probably. I am too busy. The other justification for not assisting Jesus would have probably been, “I am not worthy enough to help.

               Can we imagine Jesus arguing with his Apostles? How would he convince them to engage in ministry? He would probably have said that if you are too busy to engage in spiritual tasks you are too busy. Nothing is more important than praying with people. Nothing is more important than taking care of those most in need.

               The other thing he would probably have said to convince reluctant disciple is that no one is worth to be an agent in the Lord’s service. If a person waits for a time when they feel like they are fully in the state of grace to serve in ministry, then they will never engage in ministry. Most of the time God will offset our shortcomings. We will only see how, when we have the courage to plunge into the water of ministerial service. A Christian community will only be healthy if its members give of themselves to help with the mission of Jesus.

               At Sacred Heart we must always invite people to share our ministerial tasks. We try to do that about once a quarter. We have what we call a stewardship weekend today. We ask people to minister where there is an acute need. Today we are asking for people to join our St. Vincent DePaul Society. We have many people who are living on the edge of poverty in our community, living from paycheck to paycheck. Often the church is their last lifeline. Our parish staff often get calls from people looking for assistance. We don’t have the time to respond as we would like. The St. Vincent DePaul Society steps in.

               We also need more liturgical ministers. We especially need extraordinary ministers of communion. The fullest expression of the reception of the Eucharist comes when we can receive the host and the cup, yet we can only offer that at one Sunday Mass because of a lack of ministers. People ask me if we could have both species at another Mass. Unfortunately, that request doesn’t often come with an offer to volunteer to be an extraordinary minister. If you benefit from the many Masses here a Sacred Heart and you are here on Sunday, why not serve as a Eucharistic Minister?

               We also need people to welcome new members to our parish community. We usually have had 75 to 100 new families come to us a year. A brief visit to a new family means a lot. I share with you a note I received from someone recently ….. This isn’t the only time we received such a note.

               Hopefully, you can help Jesus’ minister to his flock. Someone will make a further announcement at the end of Mass telling you how you can help. You are invited today to answer the Lord’s call to you.