Thursday of the Twenty-sixth Week in
Ordinary Time
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.
AlleluiaMK 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."
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Jesus the Good Shepherd changes wolves into
sheep, by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444
AD)
"How then does
[Jesus] command the holy apostles, who are innocent men and 'sheep,' to seek
the company of wolves, and go to them of their own will? Is not the danger
apparent? Are they not set up as ready prey for their attacks? How can a sheep
prevail over a wolf? How can one so peaceful conquer the savageness of beasts
of prey? 'Yes,' he says, 'for they all have me as their Shepherd: small and
great, people and princes, teachers and students. I will be with you, help you,
and deliver you from all evil. I will tame the savage beasts. I will change
wolves into sheep, and I will make the persecutors become the helpers of the
persecuted. I will make those who wrong my ministers to be sharers in their
pious designs. I make and unmake all things, and nothing can resist my
will.'" (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE,
HOMILY 61)
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, LUKE 10:1-12
Weekday
(Nehemiah 8:1-4a, 5-6, 7b-12; Psalm 19)
Weekday
(Nehemiah 8:1-4a, 5-6, 7b-12; Psalm 19)
KEY VERSE: "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few" (v 2).
TO KNOW: 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 and 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 (Greek: metanoia). The cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida would be no better off than Sodom, which was destroyed because of their wickedness. And Capernaum, Jesus’ headquarters in Galilee, had learned nothing from the message of the Messiah. The Gentile cities of Tyre and Sidon were better able to read the signs that they overlooked.
TO LOVE: Do I give prayer and financial support to those who proclaim the Gospel?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, strengthen and protect your servants who labor for the gospel throughout the world.
Optional Memorial of Blessed
Francis Xavier Seelos, Priest
On July 25, 2014, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments confirmed the inscription of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, Priest, into the Proper Calendar for the Dioceses of the United States of America. Born in Füssen, Germany in 1819, and named for St. Francis Xavier. He entered the diocesan seminary, and, coming to know the charism of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, joined it and was sent to North America. Francis was attracted to the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, and their mission to work with the poorest, the abandoned, and immigrants. Feeling a call to minister to German immigrants to America, he left the seminary, sailed for the America in 1843, and was ordained a priest in the Redemptorist Church of Saint James in Baltimore in 1844. He began his pastoral ministry in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as assistant pastor of his confrere Saint John Neumann, serving also as Master of Novices and dedicating himself to preaching. He became a full-time itinerant missionary preacher, preaching in both English and German in a number of different states. Hearing of an influx of German immigrants to New Orleans, Louisiana, he pastored a Redemptorist church there beginning in 1866. He worked with yellow fever victims until he was taken by the illness and died on October 4, 1867.
Thursday 5
October 2017
Nehemiah 8:1-12. Psalm
18(19):8-11. Luke 10:1-12.
The
precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart — Psalm 18(19):8-11.
‘Carry no
purse, no haversack, no sandals.’
While we are familiar with the
identities of the Twelve, those of the seventy-two others remain a mystery. Who
were these followers of Jesus? What were they like and how did they react to
being sent out in this way to proclaim the coming of the kingdom?
The mission to go out with none of
the basic comforts we are familiar with is more than a little disconcerting.
Nevertheless, it is a reminder that the possessions we think we cannot do
without can have a nasty habit of possessing us. Today’s gospel reminds us that
proclaiming the kingdom is not dependent on the material supports of the world.
Often the best proclaimers of the Gospel are the poor in our midst.
ST. FAUSTINA, VIRGIN
On October 5, the church celebrates the Memorial
of St. Mary Faustina Kowalska, virgin. St. Faustina was born Helena Kowalska on
August 25, 1905 to a poor but devout Polish family in 1905. At the age of 20,
with very little education, and having been rejected from several other
convents because of her poverty and lack of education, Helen entered the
Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. There, she took the name Sr.
Faustina and spent time in convents in both Poland and Lithuania. Throughout her
life, Jesus appeared to Sr. Faustina. He asked her to become an apostle and
secretary of his mercy, by writing down his messages of Divine Mercy for the
world in her diary. Jesus also asked Sr. Faustina to have an image painted of
his Divine Mercy, with red and white rays issuing from his heart, and to spread
devotion to the Divine Mercy novena. Even before her death on October 5, 1938,
devotion to Divine Mercy began to spread throughout Poland.This little nun and
Jesus’ message of Divine Mercy impacted Karol Wojtyla greatly, which became
obvious to the world when he was elected Pope. “It is truly marvelous how her
devotion to the merciful Jesus is spreading in our contemporary world and
gaining so many human hearts! This is doubtlessly a sign of the times — a sign
of our twentieth century. The balance of this century, which is now ending, in
addition to the advances which have often surpassed those of preceding eras,
presents a deep restlessness and fear of the future. Where, if not in the
Divine Mercy, can the world find refuge and the light of hope? Believers
understand that perfectly,” Pope St. John Paul II wrote. On April 30, 2000,
Pope John Paul II canonized St. Faustina in what he was widely reported as
saying was “the happiest day of my life.” “Today my joy is truly great in
presenting the life and witness of Sr Faustina Kowalska to the whole Church as
a gift of God for our time. By divine Providence, the life of this humble
daughter of Poland was completely linked with the history of the 20th century, the
century we have just left behind. In fact, it was between the First and Second
World Wars that Christ entrusted his message of mercy to her. Those who
remember, who were witnesses and participants in the events of those years and
the horrible sufferings they caused for millions of people, know well how
necessary was the message of mercy,” the Pope said in his homily that day. It
was also on this day, the Sunday after Easter, that Pope John Paul II
instituted the Feast of Divine Mercy, which Jesus had asked for in his messages
to Sr. Faustina.
LECTIO: LUKE 10,1-12
Lectio Divina:
Thursday, October 5, 2017
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.
H He said to them, 'The harvest is rich but the laborers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send laborers 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 laborer 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.’
H He said to them, 'The harvest is rich but the laborers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send laborers 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 laborer 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, which begins with
this passage, presents a characteristic of revelation. In 9, 51 it is said that
Jesus “resolutely turned his face toward Jerusalem”. This journey, an
expression of his being Son, is characterized by a two-fold action: He is
closely united “to the fact of being taken away” (v. 51), and 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 that 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 and to his duty to bury the parents. The urgency of
announcing the Kingdom exceeds this duty. The concern of burying the dead is
useless because Jesus goes beyond the doors[1] of death and He fulfils this even
for those who follow him. In the third scene, 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 one does not delay. 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 somewhat dense expressions. 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 to the few laborers. The Lord of the harvest arrives with all his force but the joy of that arrival is hindered by the reduced number of laborers. Therefore, the categorical invitation to prayer: “Ask the Lord of the harvest to send laborers 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 sack 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 of the arrival of the Kingdom. It is not necessary to seek comfort and it is indispensable to be welcomed. Instead, the city becomes, the most extensive field of the mission. It is there that life, political activity, the possibility of conversion, acceptance, and rejection are developed. This last aspect is linked to the gesture of shaking off the dust (vv. 10-11). It is as if the disciples, in abandoning the city that has rejected them, would say to the people that they possess nothing as an expression of the end of the relationship. Finally, Jesus recalls the guilt of that city which will close itself to the proclamation of the Gospel (v. 12).
• The dynamic of the account. The passage which is the object of our meditation begins with somewhat dense expressions. 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 to the few laborers. The Lord of the harvest arrives with all his force but the joy of that arrival is hindered by the reduced number of laborers. Therefore, the categorical invitation to prayer: “Ask the Lord of the harvest to send laborers 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 sack 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 of the arrival of the Kingdom. It is not necessary to seek comfort and it is indispensable to be welcomed. Instead, the city becomes, the most extensive field of the mission. It is there that life, political activity, the possibility of conversion, acceptance, and rejection are developed. This last aspect is linked to the gesture of shaking off the dust (vv. 10-11). It is as if the disciples, in abandoning the city that has rejected them, would say to the people that they possess nothing as an expression of the end of the relationship. 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 on your availability?
• Are you aware that the success of your witness does not depend on your individual capacity but only on the Lord who orders and on 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)
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)
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét