your efforts to plant them. For that matter, imagine dozens of children claimed for Christ in Baptism throughout the year, only to be claimed by a world that neither prays nor believes. Picture a school filled with little children un-churched but not uninterested who go on to graduate still un-churched and no longer interested. Imagine the hundreds of youth Confirmed in the spring and gone by the fall.

Fields need to be harvested; children need to be catechized; youth need to be engaged; marriages need to be nurtured; and vocations need to be encouraged; shut-ins need to be visited; "shut-outs" need to be welcomed back. The point is: A rich harvest calls for a generous response! Today's scripture says: "At the sight of the crowds, Jesus' heart was moved with pity" (Matt 9:36).

But not only Jesus' heart would be moved! He immediately called in reinforcements by gathering, mobilizing, and equipping 12 of his disciples to respond to the needs at hand. Compassion begins in the eyes, moves to the heart and finally is demonstrated in action taken to alleviate the problem. Feeling sorry for, worrying over and complaining about is NOT compassion or pity. Until we are moved to action, we remain part of the problem!