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  The Harvest (Breton Landscape) Émile Bernard [ Web Gallery of Art ] The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few;   therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest  (Matthew 9:37-38; Gospel). Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Matthew 9:36-10:8  ( English Standard Version Anglicised, India) When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.   Then he said to his disciples,  “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few;   therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.” And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.   The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who i

St Margaret Mary Alacoque Contemplating the Sacred Heart of Jesus Corrado Giaquinto [ Web Gallery of Art ] This morning I celebrated the Mass for the memorial of St Justin Martyr. He was born of Greek parents in Palestine around AD100, was a philosopher who taught and defended Christian teaching and was martyred around AD165. As I did not have a congregation I used the readings that may be used for this saint instead of the readings for Thursday of Week 8 in Ordinary Time. The readings for the memorial are extraordinarily apt for the first day of June, the beginning of the Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Christ in Agony on the Cross El Greco [ Web Gallery of Art] The First Reading is from  1 Corinthians 1:18-25 . Some quotations:  For the word of the cross is  folly to  those who are perishing, but to us  who are being saved it is  the power of God . . .  For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom,   but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,