Over 400 years ago a report was sent back by Saint Francis Xavier in India to Saint Ignatius of Loyola in Rome. After reporting on the widespread poverty of the people, Francis writes: “Many out here fail to become Christians only because there is nobody prepared to undertake the task of teaching them. I have often felt moved to go to the universities of Europe, especially the Sorbonne in Paris, shouting like a madman, saying to those who have more learning than goodwill, to employ it advantageously. If only, while they studied their humanities, they would also study the accounting that God will ask of the talents he has given them. ‘In the gospel today, Jesus gives us a report about the people. The crowds are pressing around him, anxious to touch him, to have him lay his hands on them so that they may be cured of their sickness and disease. They come to him with all their needs, their hopes, their sorrows, and their pain. Jesus describes the situation of the crowd like sheep without a shepherd. How does Jesus respond? He responds in two ways; first, through his own ministry of help and healing. He is there for people around the clock; he offers them encouraging and consoling words. He heals their afflictions and assures them of God’s love. The second thing Jesus does is to select twelve apostles and give them a mission. Their mission is to do what Jesus had been doing. They are to show Gods compassion to those who suffer; to proclaim it, and to be instruments of it. The apostles that Jesus called were imperfect human beings, there were just ordinary people like you and me; they had no special qualifications. Nevertheless, Jesus saw a lot of good in each of them. Many reports have been written on the situaion of our church in Ireland today. We could say that Ireland is a mission country now, we have become a multi cultured society, a well-off country, people are abandoning their faith and religious practice, because they have good credit cards and very little time for God. The dwindling numbers of priests and religious had not helped this situation. When we contemplate the situation of our church today it is very easy to become discourged, we can’t do everything but we can do something. This is the challenge facing all of us todays. How committed am I to this work of evangelisation?