Life on earth is a cycle of time and seasons. After the Deluge, the Lord declares, “All the days of the earth, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease” (Gn 8:22). Harvest time is a time to rejoice after the tedious task of sowing the seed and caring for the plant: “Those who sow in tears will reap with cries of joy. Those who go forth weeping, carrying sacks of seed, will return with cries of joy, carrying their bundled sheaves” (Ps 126:5-6). At harvest time, the Israelites would make pilgrimage to God in Jerusalem to thank him for his providence.

While the harvest is often used to symbolize God’s Last Judgment (Is 9:2-3; Hos 6:11), here, the harvest speaks of the beginnings. The disciples are sent not to gather people for judgment but to proclaim the Good News of Jesus. The harvest at the end of the age, in which angels will be the harvesters, starts with the work of men and women. Some will sow the seed and others will reap, but there is joy and reward for both—as when people rejoice at harvest time. Speaking to the disciples about the “harvest” of Samaritans who believe in him, Jesus says, “I sent you to reap what you have not worked for; others have done the work, and you are sharing the fruits of their work” (Jn 4:38).

Thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: O people of Zion, who dwell in Jerusalem, no more will you weep; He will be gracious to you when you cry out, as soon as he hears he will answer you. The Lord will give you the bread you need and the water for which you thirst. No longer will your Teacher hide himself, but with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher, While from behind, a voice shall sound in your ears: “This is the way; walk in it,” when you would turn to the right or to the left.

He will give rain for the seed that you sow in the ground, And the wheat that the soil produces will be rich and abundant. On that day your flock will be given pasture/ and the lamb will graze in spacious meadows; The oxen and the asses that till the ground will eat silage tossed to them with shovel and pitchfork. Upon every high mountain and lofty hill there will be streams of running water. On the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall, The light of the moon will be like that of the sun and the light of the sun will be seven times greater like the light of seven days. On the day the Lord binds up the wounds of his people, he will heal the bruises left by his blows.

“Blessed are all who wait for the Lord.”

Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, his 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, “Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 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 you are to give.”