Jul
13
Another Lost Laborer
July 13, 2008 |
I find two gospel passages especially meaningful for how I want to live my life.
One is Matthew 9, where Christ proclaims -
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”
The other is today’s gospel from Matthew 13, where Christ preaches the parable of the seeds falling in the path, on the rocks, in the thorns, and on the rich soil. He concludes by proclaiming -
“The seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”
And it’s these two passages that have me so confused today as I digest the news of Tony Snow’s passing. He was born and raised in Cincinnati and we Queen City folks tend to always have a special place in our hearts for natives who go on to the national stage and do good.
We have even more reason to be proud that Tony was from Cincinnati - he represented the best we have to offer and who we all should aspire to be. He was a phenomenally productive laborer, whose seed was sown in rich soil, and who bore the ripest of fruit.
So, today I find myself doing something I really don’t do that often - I find myself questioning God’s decision.
We need people like Tony - in our nation and our Church. He was fighting the good fight as a patriot and a builder of Christ’s Kingdom. He was a good and faithful servant.
Coming on the heals of Tim Russert’s death, you almost have to wonder what God is up to. Here were two middle-age, high-profile lay Catholics who were devout, bold and public in their faith and presumably doing what God intended for them to do. We have so very few of their kind and we need so many more. Yet, they are gone; and I can’t see a reason why.
I know we need to trust God implicitly and without reservations. I know there is a good reason why these good, Catholic men have been called home. I’m just confused.
It’s now up to the rest of us to pick up the slack, find other laborers, and ensure we are bearing fruit. There is still so much work to be done; and the work seems to be increasing every day.
