Come With Me … On Our Journey

“He sent them on ahead of him, two by two … And he said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.’”
— Luke 10:1-2

This summer, my wife and I have been “on the road” much more than in the recent past. We’ve seen family, friends, and sights, familiar and unfamiliar, keeping with our plan to drive rather than fly. It can be challenging, especially with the increase in traffic on the interstates (I-80, always busy, is even more active than I remember). But, given the demands of driving, being able to talk, to exchange ideas, to reflect are priceless.

We most recently attended the wedding of a Benedictine College graduate, someone who had been in several my classes some years ago. We had kept in touch throughout her changes in employment, living arrangements, and her search for someone with whom she would share her life. That happened, and we were invited, and thrilled to accept.

The wedding was an intimate gathering in a small church on the edge of a small town in south-central Nebraska. The ceremony was beautiful, the homilist, a priest who was in my grad’s life in the years before she came to Benedictine, had a sit-down conversation with the bride and groom, just a simple and beautiful exchange.

The single congregational song was an interesting choice, “Come With Me Into The Fields”, by Dan Schutte. I know I’ve sung the song in recent years, but on this occasion, it sounded brand new.

During the rest of our road trip, I went back to the significance of having that song at a wedding and my take is this:

“Come with me” is obvious. We are not together in marriage, and it’s up to us to make our way in the “field” of everyday life, the highs and lows, the mundane and the urgent, the happiness and sadness, the marking of the days, weeks, months, and years until we look back, hopefully together, at our “harvest”. God willing, we have done His will and helped improve the lives of those with whom we are part of.

These goals, these touchpoints, are not upfront in the excitement of the wedding, and the giddy days and weeks soon after. But, when the growing and harvesting begin, that is when our skills and our faith combine. We know the demands, we recognize the goals, we thank God for the strength to accomplish them.

He sent them “two by two.” Katherine and Matt, your work has begun. Roll up your sleeves. God be with you as you journey together toward your harvest.