06/14/2026
ELEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
June 14, 2026
Gospel: (Matthew 9: 36-10:8)
At the sight of the crowds, Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to 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.” Then he summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness…Jesus sent out these twelve after instructing them thus, “…As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost are you to give.”
Reflection:
The mission of Jesus’ disciples is to reach out to others with the same compassion as Jesus had, a gift of God. Compassion is the wellspring for ministry. The urgency of divine compassion teaches us that our ministry is one of mercy and charity. There are always people “without a shepherd”: the teen who needs an adult to guide them along right paths, the lost traveler who asks for a bit of our time, young children who are looking for companionship and guidance, he coworker who needs a listening ear, the spouse who needs our gratitude and love, the homeless who is cold, the single parent who needs support and food for their family. (Living Liturgy, p.172)
Vincentian Meditation:
“Whenever I happened to speak abruptly to the convicts, I spoiled everything. But whenever I praised them for their acceptance and showed them compassion, whenever I sympathized with them in their sorrows, when I kissed their chains and showed how upset I was when they were punished, then they always listened to me and even turned to God.” (McKenna, Praying with Vincent, p.96)
