Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor
of the Church
Lectionary: 458
Lectionary: 458
The whole people
gathered as one in the open space before the Water Gate,
and they called upon Ezra the scribe
to bring forth the book of the law of Moses
which the LORD prescribed for Israel.
On the first day of the seventh month, therefore,
Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly,
which consisted of men, women,
and those children old enough to understand.
Standing at one end of the open place that was before the Water Gate,
he read out of the book from daybreak until midday,
in the presence of the men, the women,
and those children old enough to understand;
and all the people listened attentively to the book of the law.
Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform
that had been made for the occasion.
He opened the scroll
so that all the people might see it
(for he was standing higher up than any of the people);
and, as he opened it, all the people rose.
Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God,
and all the people, their hands raised high, answered,
“Amen, amen!”
Then they bowed down and prostrated themselves before the LORD,
their faces to the ground.
As the people remained in their places,
Ezra read plainly from the book of the law of God,
interpreting it so that all could understand what was read.
Then Nehemiah, that is, His Excellency, and Ezra the priest-scribe
and the Levites who were instructing the people
said to all the people:
“Today is holy to the LORD your God.
Do not be sad, and do not weep”–
for all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law.
He said further: “Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks,
and allot portions to those who had nothing prepared;
for today is holy to our LORD.
Do not be saddened this day,
for rejoicing in the LORD must be your strength!”
And the Levites quieted all the people, saying,
“Hush, for today is holy, and you must not be saddened.”
Then all the people went to eat and drink,
to distribute portions, and to celebrate with great joy,
for they understood the words that had been expounded to them.
and they called upon Ezra the scribe
to bring forth the book of the law of Moses
which the LORD prescribed for Israel.
On the first day of the seventh month, therefore,
Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly,
which consisted of men, women,
and those children old enough to understand.
Standing at one end of the open place that was before the Water Gate,
he read out of the book from daybreak until midday,
in the presence of the men, the women,
and those children old enough to understand;
and all the people listened attentively to the book of the law.
Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform
that had been made for the occasion.
He opened the scroll
so that all the people might see it
(for he was standing higher up than any of the people);
and, as he opened it, all the people rose.
Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God,
and all the people, their hands raised high, answered,
“Amen, amen!”
Then they bowed down and prostrated themselves before the LORD,
their faces to the ground.
As the people remained in their places,
Ezra read plainly from the book of the law of God,
interpreting it so that all could understand what was read.
Then Nehemiah, that is, His Excellency, and Ezra the priest-scribe
and the Levites who were instructing the people
said to all the people:
“Today is holy to the LORD your God.
Do not be sad, and do not weep”–
for all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law.
He said further: “Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks,
and allot portions to those who had nothing prepared;
for today is holy to our LORD.
Do not be saddened this day,
for rejoicing in the LORD must be your strength!”
And the Levites quieted all the people, saying,
“Hush, for today is holy, and you must not be saddened.”
Then all the people went to eat and drink,
to distribute portions, and to celebrate with great joy,
for they understood the words that had been expounded to them.
Responsorial PsalmPS 19:8, 9, 10, 11
R. (9ab) The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye;
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
Sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye;
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
Sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
AlleluiaMARK 1:15
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Kingdom of God is at hand;
repent and believe in the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Kingdom of God is at hand;
repent and believe in the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 10:1-12
Jesus appointed
seventy-two other disciples
whom he sent ahead of him in pairs
to every town and place he intended to visit.
He said to them,
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.
Go on your way;
behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.
Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals;
and greet no one along the way.
Into whatever house you enter, first say,
‘Peace to this household.’
If a peaceful person lives there,
your peace will rest on him;
but if not, it will return to you.
Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you,
for the laborer deserves his payment.
Do not move about from one house to another.
Whatever town you enter and they welcome you,
eat what is set before you,
cure the sick in it and say to them,
‘The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.’
Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you,
go out into the streets and say,
‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet,
even that we shake off against you.’
Yet know this: the Kingdom of God is at hand.
I tell you,
it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town.”
whom he sent ahead of him in pairs
to every town and place he intended to visit.
He said to them,
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.
Go on your way;
behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.
Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals;
and greet no one along the way.
Into whatever house you enter, first say,
‘Peace to this household.’
If a peaceful person lives there,
your peace will rest on him;
but if not, it will return to you.
Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you,
for the laborer deserves his payment.
Do not move about from one house to another.
Whatever town you enter and they welcome you,
eat what is set before you,
cure the sick in it and say to them,
‘The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.’
Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you,
go out into the streets and say,
‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet,
even that we shake off against you.’
Yet know this: the Kingdom of God is at hand.
I tell you,
it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town.”
Meditation: "The kingdom of God has come near to you"
What kind of harvest does the Lord want us to reap today for his
kingdom? When Jesus commissioned seventy of his disciples to go on mission, he
gave them a vision of a vast field that is ready to be harvested for the
kingdom of God. Jesus frequently used the image of a harvest to convey the
coming of God's reign on earth. The harvest is the fruition of much labor and
growth - beginning with the sowing of seeds, then growth to maturity, and
finally the reaping of fruit for the harvest.
God's word grows like a seed within us
In like manner, the word of God is sown in the hearts of receptive men and women who hear his word, accept it with trust and obedience, and then share the abundant fruit of God's word in their life with others. The harvest Jesus had in mind was not only the gathering in of the people of Israel, but all the peoples (and nations) of the world. John the Evangelist tells us that "God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
In like manner, the word of God is sown in the hearts of receptive men and women who hear his word, accept it with trust and obedience, and then share the abundant fruit of God's word in their life with others. The harvest Jesus had in mind was not only the gathering in of the people of Israel, but all the peoples (and nations) of the world. John the Evangelist tells us that "God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
Be a sower of God's word of peace and mercy
What does Jesus mean when he says his disciples must be "lambs in the midst of wolves"? The prophet Isaiah foretold a time when wolves and lambs will dwell in peace (Isaiah 11:6 and 65:25). This certainly refers to the second coming of of the Lord Jesus when all will be united under the Lordship of Jesus after he has put down his enemies and established the reign of God over the heavens and the earth. In the meantime, the disciples must expect opposition and persecution from those who would oppose the Gospel. Jesus came to lay down his life for us, as our sacrificial lamb, to atone for our sins and the sins of the world. We, in turn, must be willing to offer our lives with gratitude and humble service for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
What does Jesus mean when he says his disciples must be "lambs in the midst of wolves"? The prophet Isaiah foretold a time when wolves and lambs will dwell in peace (Isaiah 11:6 and 65:25). This certainly refers to the second coming of of the Lord Jesus when all will be united under the Lordship of Jesus after he has put down his enemies and established the reign of God over the heavens and the earth. In the meantime, the disciples must expect opposition and persecution from those who would oppose the Gospel. Jesus came to lay down his life for us, as our sacrificial lamb, to atone for our sins and the sins of the world. We, in turn, must be willing to offer our lives with gratitude and humble service for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
We are called to speak and witness in God's
name
What is the significance of Jesus appointing seventy disciples to the ministry of the word? Seventy was a significant number in biblical times. Moses chose seventy elders to help him in the task of leading the people through the wilderness. The Jewish Sanhedrin, the governing council for the nation of Israel, was composed of seventy members. In Jesus' times seventy was held to be the number of nations throughout the world. Jesus commissioned the seventy to a two-fold task - to speak in his name and to act with his power.
What is the significance of Jesus appointing seventy disciples to the ministry of the word? Seventy was a significant number in biblical times. Moses chose seventy elders to help him in the task of leading the people through the wilderness. The Jewish Sanhedrin, the governing council for the nation of Israel, was composed of seventy members. In Jesus' times seventy was held to be the number of nations throughout the world. Jesus commissioned the seventy to a two-fold task - to speak in his name and to act with his power.
Jesus gave his disciples instructions for how they were to carry
out their ministry. They must go and serve as people without guile, full of
charity (selfless giving in love) and peace, and simplicity. They must give
their full attention to the proclamation of God's kingdom and not be diverted
by other lesser things. They must travel light - only take what was
essential and leave behind whatever would distract them - in order to
concentrate on the task of speaking the word of the God. They must do their
work, not for what they can get out of it, but for what they can give freely to
others, without expecting reward or payment. "Poverty of spirit"
frees us from greed and preoccupation with possessions and makes ample room for
God’s provision. The Lord Jesus wants his disciples to be dependent on him and
not on themselves.
God gives us his life-giving word that we may have abundant life
in him. He wills to work in and through each of us for his glory. God shares
his word with us and he commissions us to speak it boldly and plainly to
others. Do you witness the truth and joy of the Gospel by word and example to
those around you?
"Lord Jesus, may the joy and truth of the Gospel transform
my life that I may witness it to those around me. Grant that I may spread your
truth and merciful love wherever I go."
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1,
LUKE 10:1-12
(Nehemiah 8:1-4a, 5-6, 7b-12; Psalm 19)
(Nehemiah 8:1-4a, 5-6, 7b-12; Psalm 19)
KEY VERSE: "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few" (v 2).
TO READ: Jesus sent his twelve apostles into a hostile world to proclaim the coming of God's reign. Then he sent forth a larger group of disciples (The number 72 corresponds to all the nations listed in Genesis 10). These laborers were sent to prepare the soil for the abundant harvest that would come. They represented Christ in every home they entered; therefore, they deserved the support of those who benefited from their proclamation of the Gospel. Jesus warned the disciples that they would be like helpless sheep exposed to prey; therefore, they must depend upon God's providence and protection. As Jesus' messengers, they had an obligation to warn the people to repent since God's reign was close at hand. Severe judgment was in store for those who rejected this call to change their lives. The great harvest will be the Feast of Pentecost, the day dedicated to the gathering and offering of the first fruits.
TO REFLECT: Do I give prayer and financial support to those who proclaim the Gospel?
TO RESPOND: Lord Jesus, strengthen and protect your servants who labor for the gospel throughout the world.
Memorial of Thérèse of
the Child Jesus, virgin and doctor of the Church
Thérèse was born to a middle-class French family. Her father, Louis, was a watchmaker. Her mother, a lace maker, died of breast cancer when Thérèse was only four. Both parents have been declared Venerable by the Church. Cured from an illness at age eight when a statue of the Blessed Virgin smiled at her, Thérèse became a Carmelite nun at age 15. Thérèse of the Child Jesus defined her path to God as "The Little Way," which consisted of love and trust in God. She is called the "Little Flower" because she saw herself, not as one of the extravagant flowers in the garden, but as a common flower whose simple beauty offers praise to God. At the direction of her spiritual director, and against her wishes, she dictated her famed autobiography “Story of a Soul.” Thérèse died from tuberculosis when she was 24, after living as a cloistered Carmelite for less than ten years. She never went on missions, never founded a religious order, never performed great works, but within 28 years of her death, the public demand was so great that she was canonized a saint. Thérèse was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1997 by Pope John Paul II..
"For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy." - St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus
Novena Rose Prayer to St. Thérèse
O Little Thérèse of the Child Jesus, please pick for me a rose from the heavenly gardens and send it to me as a message of love. O Little Flower of Jesus, ask God today to grant the favors I now place in your hands (Mention specific requests). St. Thérèse, help me to always believe as you did, in God's great love for me, so that I might imitate your "Little Way" each day. Amen.
God our Father, you have promised your kingdom to those who are willing to become like little children. Help us to follow the way of "the Little Flower" with confidence so that by her prayers we may come to know your eternal glory. Little Flower, in this hour, show thy power. Amen
Thursday 1 October 2015
THU 1ST.
St Theresa of the Child Jesus.
Nehemiah
8:1-12. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart—Ps 18(19):8-11. Luke
10:1-12.
‘Go! I am
sending you out like lambs among wolves.’
When
Jesus commissioned seventy-two of his disciples to go on mission, he gave them
a vision of a great harvest for the kingdom of God. The image of a harvest
conveys the coming of God’s reign on earth, with the harvest being the fruition
of labour and growth. The harvest Jesus had in mind was not only the people of
Israel, but all the peoples of the world.
Jesus
says his disciples must be lambs in the midst of wolves, warning that the
disciples must expect opposition and persecution from those who oppose the
gospel. The way we act and serve, if it is inspired by Jesus, involves some
sacrifice in our lives and the realisation that we may face opposition. But we
are not expected to face this opposition alone—Jesus sent out his disciples two
by two. And he too is with us always.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
|
Breath of Faith
|
We draw strength from God in prayer. Prayer is the breath of
faith: in a relationship of trust, in a relationship of love, dialogue cannot
be left out, and prayer is the dialogue of the soul with God.
October
1
St. Thérèse of Lisieux
(1873-1897)
St. Thérèse of Lisieux
(1873-1897)
"I prefer the monotony of obscure sacrifice to all ecstasies.
To pick up a pin for love can convert a soul." These are the words of
Thérèse of the Child Jesus, a Carmelite nun called the "Little
Flower," who lived a cloistered life of obscurity in the convent of
Lisieux, France. And her preference for hidden sacrifice did indeed
convert souls. Few saints of God are more popular than this young nun. Her
autobiography, The Story of a Soul, is read and loved throughout
the world. Thérèse Martin entered the convent at the age of 15 and died in 1897
at the age of 24. She was canonized in 1925, and two years later she and St.
Francis Xavier were declared co-patrons of the missions.
Life in a
Carmelite convent is indeed uneventful and consists mainly of prayer and hard
domestic work. But Thérèse possessed that holy insight that redeems the time,
however dull that time may be. She saw in quiet suffering redemptive suffering,
suffering that was indeed her apostolate. Thérèse said she came to the Carmel
convent "to save souls and pray for priests." And shortly before she
died, she wrote: "I want to spend my heaven doing good on earth."
On
October 19, 1997, Pope John Paul II proclaimed her a Doctor of the Church,
the third woman to be so recognized, in light of her holiness and the influence
on the Church of her teaching on spirituality. Her parents, Louis and
Zélie were beatified in 2008.
Comment:
Thérèse has much to teach our age of the image, the appearance, the "sell." We have become a dangerously self-conscious people, painfully aware of the need to be fulfilled, yet knowing we are not. Thérèse, like so many saints, sought to serve others, to do something outside herself, to forget herself in quiet acts of love. She is one of the great examples of the gospel paradox that we gain our life by losing it, and that the seed that falls to the ground must die in order to live (John 12:24).
Thérèse has much to teach our age of the image, the appearance, the "sell." We have become a dangerously self-conscious people, painfully aware of the need to be fulfilled, yet knowing we are not. Thérèse, like so many saints, sought to serve others, to do something outside herself, to forget herself in quiet acts of love. She is one of the great examples of the gospel paradox that we gain our life by losing it, and that the seed that falls to the ground must die in order to live (John 12:24).
Preoccupation with
self separates modern men and women from God, from their fellow human beings,
and ultimately from themselves. We must relearn to forget ourselves, to
contemplate a God who draws us out of ourselves, and to serve others as the
ultimate expression of selfhood. These are the insights of St. Thérèse of
Lisieux, and they are more valid today than ever.
Quote:
All her life St. Thérèse suffered from illness. As a young girl she underwent a three-month malady characterized by violent crises, extended delirium and prolonged fainting spells. Afterwards she was ever frail and yet she worked hard in the laundry and refectory of the convent. Psychologically, she endured prolonged periods of darkness when the light of faith seemed all but extinguished. The last year of her life she slowly wasted away from tuberculosis. And yet shortly before her death on September 30 she murmured, "I would not suffer less."
All her life St. Thérèse suffered from illness. As a young girl she underwent a three-month malady characterized by violent crises, extended delirium and prolonged fainting spells. Afterwards she was ever frail and yet she worked hard in the laundry and refectory of the convent. Psychologically, she endured prolonged periods of darkness when the light of faith seemed all but extinguished. The last year of her life she slowly wasted away from tuberculosis. And yet shortly before her death on September 30 she murmured, "I would not suffer less."
Truly she was a
valiant woman who did not whimper about her illnesses and anxieties. Here was a
person who saw the power of love, that divine alchemy which can change
everything, including weakness and illness, into service and redemptive power
for others. Is it any wonder that she is patroness of the missions? Who else
but those who embrace suffering with their love really convert the world?
Patron Saint of:
Florists
Missionaries
Pilots
Florists
Missionaries
Pilots
LECTIO: LUKE
10,1-12
Lectio:
Thursday, October 1, 2015
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Father,
you show your almighty power
in your mercy and forgiveness.
Continue to fill us with your gifts of love.
Help us to hurry towards the eternal life your promise
and come to share in the joys of your kingdom.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Father,
you show your almighty power
in your mercy and forgiveness.
Continue to fill us with your gifts of love.
Help us to hurry towards the eternal life your promise
and come to share in the joys of your kingdom.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading - Luke 10,1-12
In those days the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them out ahead of him in pairs, to all the towns and places he himself would be visiting.
And he said to them, 'The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to do his harvesting. Start off now, but look, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Take no purse with you, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road.
Whatever house you enter, let your first words be, "Peace to this house!" And if a man of peace lives there, your peace will go and rest on him; if not, it will come back to you. Stay in the same house, taking what food and drink they have to offer, for the labourer deserves his wages; do not move from house to house.
Whenever you go into a town where they make you welcome, eat what is put before you. Cure those in it who are sick, and say, "The kingdom of God is very near to you."
But whenever you enter a town and they do not make you welcome, go out into its streets and say, "We wipe off the very dust of your town that clings to our feet, and leave it with you. Yet be sure of this: the kingdom of God is very near." I tell you, on the great Day it will be more bearable for Sodom than for that town.
3) Reflection
• Context: Chapter 10 of which this passage is the beginning, presents a characteristic of revelation. In 9, 51 it is said that Jesus “resolutely turned his face toward Jerusalem”. This journey, expression of his being Son, is characterized by a two-fold action: he is closely united “to the fact of being taken away of Jesus” (v. 51), his “coming” through the sending out of his disciples (v. 52): there is a bond of union in the double movement: “to be taken away from the world” to go toward the Father, and to be sent to men. In fact, it happens that sometimes the one sent is not accepted (9, 52 and, therefore, he has to learn how to be “delivered”, without allowing himself, because of this, to be modified by the rejection of men (9, 54-55). Three brief scenes make the reader understand the meaning of following Jesus who is going to Jerusalem to be taken out of the world. In the first one, a man is presented who desires to follow Jesus wherever he goes; Jesus invites him to abandon all he has, all that gives him well-being and security. Those who want to follow him have to share his destiny of a nomad life. In the second scene it is Jesus who takes the initiative and he calls a man whose father has just died. The man asks to delay in responding to the call in order to comply with the law, to his duty to bury the parents. The urgency of announcing the Kingdom exceeds this duty: the concern of burying the death is useless because Jesus goes beyond the doors of death and he fulfils this even for those who follow him. In the third scene, finally, a man is presented who offers himself spontaneously to follow Jesus but he places a condition: to bid farewell to his parents. To enter into the Kingdom does not admit any delays. After this three-fold renunciation the expression of Luke 9, 60, “Once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God”, introduces the theme of chapter 10.
• The dynamic of the account. The passage which is the object of our meditation begins with expressions somewhat dense. The first one, “After these things, it sends us back to the prayer of Jesus and to his firm decision to go to Jerusalem. The second one concerns the verb “appointed”: he appointed seventy-two others and sent them out...” (10, 1), where it is said concretely that he sent them ahead of him, it is the same resolute Jesus who is journeying to Jerusalem. The recommendations that he addresses to them before sending them are an invitation to be aware of the reality to which they are sent: abundant harvest in contrast with the few labourers. The Lord of the harvest arrives with all his force but the joy of that arrival is hindered by the reduced number of labourers. Therefore, the categorical invitation to prayer: “Ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to do his harvesting” (v. 2). The initiative of sending out on mission is the competence of the Father but Jesus transmits the order: ”Start off now” and then he indicates the ways of following (vv. 4-11). He begins with the luggage: no purse, no haversack nor sandals. These are elements that show the fragility of the one who is sent and his dependence on the help that they receive from the Lord and from the people of the city. The positive prescriptions are synthesized first in arriving to a house (vv. 5-7) and then in the success in the city (VV. 8-11). In both cases, the refusal is not excluded. The house is the first place where the missionaries have the first exchanges, the first relationships, valuing the human gestures of eating and drinking and of resting as simple and ordinary mediations to communicate the Gospel. “Peace” is the gift that precedes their mission, that is to say, fullness of life and of relationships; the true and real joy is the sign that distinguishes the arrival of the Kingdom. It is not necessary to seek comfort; it is indispensable to be welcomed. The city becomes, instead, the most extensive field of the mission: there, life, political activity, the possibility of conversion, of acceptance or rejection are developed. To this last aspect is linked the gesture of shake off the dust (vv. 10-11), it is as if the disciples abandoning the city that has rejected them would say to the people that they possess nothing or could express the end of the relationships. Finally, Jesus recalls the guilt of that city which will close itself to the proclamation of the Gospel (v. 12).
4) Personal questions
• You are invited every day by the Lord to announce the Gospel to those close to you (in the house) and to all persons (in the city). Do you assume a poor, essential style in witnessing your identity as a Christian?
• Are you aware that the success of your witness does not depend on your individual capacity but only on the Lord who orders and of your availability?
In those days the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them out ahead of him in pairs, to all the towns and places he himself would be visiting.
And he said to them, 'The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to do his harvesting. Start off now, but look, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Take no purse with you, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road.
Whatever house you enter, let your first words be, "Peace to this house!" And if a man of peace lives there, your peace will go and rest on him; if not, it will come back to you. Stay in the same house, taking what food and drink they have to offer, for the labourer deserves his wages; do not move from house to house.
Whenever you go into a town where they make you welcome, eat what is put before you. Cure those in it who are sick, and say, "The kingdom of God is very near to you."
But whenever you enter a town and they do not make you welcome, go out into its streets and say, "We wipe off the very dust of your town that clings to our feet, and leave it with you. Yet be sure of this: the kingdom of God is very near." I tell you, on the great Day it will be more bearable for Sodom than for that town.
3) Reflection
• Context: Chapter 10 of which this passage is the beginning, presents a characteristic of revelation. In 9, 51 it is said that Jesus “resolutely turned his face toward Jerusalem”. This journey, expression of his being Son, is characterized by a two-fold action: he is closely united “to the fact of being taken away of Jesus” (v. 51), his “coming” through the sending out of his disciples (v. 52): there is a bond of union in the double movement: “to be taken away from the world” to go toward the Father, and to be sent to men. In fact, it happens that sometimes the one sent is not accepted (9, 52 and, therefore, he has to learn how to be “delivered”, without allowing himself, because of this, to be modified by the rejection of men (9, 54-55). Three brief scenes make the reader understand the meaning of following Jesus who is going to Jerusalem to be taken out of the world. In the first one, a man is presented who desires to follow Jesus wherever he goes; Jesus invites him to abandon all he has, all that gives him well-being and security. Those who want to follow him have to share his destiny of a nomad life. In the second scene it is Jesus who takes the initiative and he calls a man whose father has just died. The man asks to delay in responding to the call in order to comply with the law, to his duty to bury the parents. The urgency of announcing the Kingdom exceeds this duty: the concern of burying the death is useless because Jesus goes beyond the doors of death and he fulfils this even for those who follow him. In the third scene, finally, a man is presented who offers himself spontaneously to follow Jesus but he places a condition: to bid farewell to his parents. To enter into the Kingdom does not admit any delays. After this three-fold renunciation the expression of Luke 9, 60, “Once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God”, introduces the theme of chapter 10.
• The dynamic of the account. The passage which is the object of our meditation begins with expressions somewhat dense. The first one, “After these things, it sends us back to the prayer of Jesus and to his firm decision to go to Jerusalem. The second one concerns the verb “appointed”: he appointed seventy-two others and sent them out...” (10, 1), where it is said concretely that he sent them ahead of him, it is the same resolute Jesus who is journeying to Jerusalem. The recommendations that he addresses to them before sending them are an invitation to be aware of the reality to which they are sent: abundant harvest in contrast with the few labourers. The Lord of the harvest arrives with all his force but the joy of that arrival is hindered by the reduced number of labourers. Therefore, the categorical invitation to prayer: “Ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to do his harvesting” (v. 2). The initiative of sending out on mission is the competence of the Father but Jesus transmits the order: ”Start off now” and then he indicates the ways of following (vv. 4-11). He begins with the luggage: no purse, no haversack nor sandals. These are elements that show the fragility of the one who is sent and his dependence on the help that they receive from the Lord and from the people of the city. The positive prescriptions are synthesized first in arriving to a house (vv. 5-7) and then in the success in the city (VV. 8-11). In both cases, the refusal is not excluded. The house is the first place where the missionaries have the first exchanges, the first relationships, valuing the human gestures of eating and drinking and of resting as simple and ordinary mediations to communicate the Gospel. “Peace” is the gift that precedes their mission, that is to say, fullness of life and of relationships; the true and real joy is the sign that distinguishes the arrival of the Kingdom. It is not necessary to seek comfort; it is indispensable to be welcomed. The city becomes, instead, the most extensive field of the mission: there, life, political activity, the possibility of conversion, of acceptance or rejection are developed. To this last aspect is linked the gesture of shake off the dust (vv. 10-11), it is as if the disciples abandoning the city that has rejected them would say to the people that they possess nothing or could express the end of the relationships. Finally, Jesus recalls the guilt of that city which will close itself to the proclamation of the Gospel (v. 12).
4) Personal questions
• You are invited every day by the Lord to announce the Gospel to those close to you (in the house) and to all persons (in the city). Do you assume a poor, essential style in witnessing your identity as a Christian?
• Are you aware that the success of your witness does not depend on your individual capacity but only on the Lord who orders and of your availability?
5) Concluding Prayer
Your face, Yahweh, I seek;
Do not turn away from me.
Do not thrust aside your servant in anger,
without you I am helpless.
Never leave me, never forsake me, God, my Saviour. (Ps 27,8-9)
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