The Harvest is Great
October 9th, 2006 by Br. Ezra Sullivan, O.P.
An Apology for the Mendicant Orders, by St. Thomas Aquinas: Part 1
It now remains for us to show that it is expedient for the salvation of souls, that others, besides parish priests, should preach and hear confessions. Our first proof is taken from the words of our Lord, “The harvest indeed is great” — or as the Gloss explains, “There is a vast multitude capable of receiving the word and bearing fruit” — “but the laborers are few,” i.e. (according to the Gloss), “the preachers who shall gather together the church of the elect.”
“Pray ye, therefore, the Lord of the harvest, that he send laborers into his harvest.” These words show that it is salutary for the church that the word of God should be announced to the faithful by many preachers, with an ever-increasing number of believers. Again, it is written in the Book of Wisdom, “in a multitude of counselors there is wisdom.” These words are interpreted by the interlinear commentary to signify, “a multitude of preachers brings health to the whole world.” St. Paul says, “The things which thou hast heard of me by many witnesses, the command to faithful men,” i.e., “Men of sound faith”, “Who shall the event,” i.e., “Convicted by their good life, their learning and eloquence,” “To teach others also.” In other words, “The office of preaching ought to be committed to those capable of filling it.” Again the Gloss has the following comment on the words of Ezra, “all that work come from captivity unto Jerusalem”: “Not only is it the duty of bishops and priests to build the house of God, whereby signified his faithful people; but the people themselves, who are called a captivity into Jerusalem, the vision of peace, ought likewise to require Ministry of the word from them that know how to preach.”
St. Gregory the remarks on the passage in Job 29, “When I washed my feet with butter, etc.”: “What shall we bishops say, and care not to impart the word entrusted to us, we see this married man who does not suffer himself to be hindered from preaching, either by his worldly garb, or his pressing occupations?” By these words we seeing, that others besides prelates urge priests, may rightfully exercised the office preaching.
We learn the same lesson from many other passages of the Old Testament. David is praised for having extended the worship of God, and for having established twenty-four priests for the benefit of the people. The same thing is related of Hezekiah: the posts went with letters, by commandment of the King of his princes, to all Israel and Judah, proclaiming, according to the Kings workers: “The children of Israel turn again to the Lord God,” etc. with much greater reason, then, many others, besides parish priests, they be commissioned to preach, and afford suchlike offices, for the salvation of souls.
