Who made them few?

Pray for more laborers for the harvest is rich and abundant!

35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and illness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’

10 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and illness.-Matthew9:35-10:1

The harvest is indeed rich and abundant but the laborers are few and still diminishing in number as years go by. So many clergy and religious boast of the number of seminarians and aspirants/candidates they had or seen before. Now, the number is so few and sometimes none at all. "Many are called but few are chosen," some would argue. But for me, when God calls, it is a serious matter and He doesn't joke. Once called, it is forever but it is up to the receiver of the call whether to say "yes" or "no." To say "No" is the very reason why few are chosen. God is not fickle. He doesn't call for nothing and He doesn't call only to dump the person in the end.

Many seminary and religious formation houses stress perfection, that is, a candidate must be Christ-like in everything - thought, word and action. However, because of a candidate's past, imperfections and character flaws, one commits blunders, errors, moments of stupidity and sometimes sin. And because of that, some would judge or question the formation of the candidate. Welcome to the lost voice of Understanding!

Who are we to judge if Jesus Himself never questioned nor sent home His disciples despite knowing that they would abandon Him during His Passion and Crucifixion? Who are we to judge or reject candidates if Peter and Judas Iscariot were not even rejected or sent away by Jesus despite knowing their denial and betrayal later on? Sometimes understanding is what is needed more over perfection. However, pure understanding alone is not healthy as well. Sometimes, it is good to ask, "Who makes the number of laborers few? Us - humans - or God?"

Image courtesy: artist, stained glass from Moulins Cathedral