Tuesday July 6, 2021 - Fourteenth week of Ordinary Time - I am the Good Shepherd, says the Lord; I know my sheep and my sheep know me - Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 9, 32-38

Dear Christians, the gospel was a great upheaval for the Jewish religion. Source of dissension: there are those who believe in it, others not; there are those who adhere to it and others who oppose it, despite the public teachings and deeds of Jesus. There is nothing surprising in this, for God gives man a free choice. Faith cannot be imposed, for it is a matter of conscience, choice and will.

Jesus delivers this man from the hold of the devil. Casting out evil spirits is an act with which Jesus began his mission. The demon is defeated, Satan's reign crumbles, and the Kingdom of God takes place.

Then Jesus begins to give the disciples missions. "Seeing the crowds, Jesus was seized with compassion towards them because they were helpless and slaughtered like sheep without a shepherd." The first mission is therefore to pray for the vocation, that is to say to be in communion with him, compassionate for humanity and to entrust this to God. Salvation is a work of God, so we must implore him to send other saviors who work together with him. This in no way means that God cannot save man alone, but collaborating with him is primarily for our good; and it also shows that God so great that he can effect our salvation in different ways. Also, let us not tire of praying for vocations and do our utmost to harvest the wheat that is already on the ear. Amen.