Reflection on Sunday Readings – July 7, 2013 (Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time)
Isaiah 66: 10-14c; Ps. 66: 1-7, 16-20; Galatians 6: 14-18; Luke 10: 1-12, 17-20
Proclaiming ‘The Kingdom’ to the Kingdoms
Rejoice, for the Kingdom of God is at hand! I say again, rejoice!
For the last month leading up to today’s Liturgy of the Word, we’ve been reading from the seventh, eighth and ninth chapters of the Gospel of Luke, and a prevailing theme seems to be obvious. There is something special about “The Kingdom of God”, and there seems to be a need for us to help spread the good news that “it is at hand.” Now before you volunteer, let’s review: Back on June 2nd on the Feast of Corpus Christi, we celebrated Luke’s witness of Jesus’ feeding the 5000 with just two fish and five loaves of bread. Next, Luke witnessed Jesus raising a widow’s son from the dead, calling him out of the coffin to speak, causing the crowd to rejoice and spread their joy throughout all of Judea. Luke’s next witness was Jesus’ “preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God”, and the importance of how one responds, like that of the woman who washed Jesus’ feet, teaching all the value of serving with humility. Next, Luke stressed that the sharing this good news comes with a price, making us all aware that we must deny our very selves, and like our Lord, we too have to carry our cross. This cross is not just heavy, for as we heard in last week’s Gospel from Luke, it also brings rejection, for as Jesus said, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” I offer this quick review of the last month of Gospel readings from Luke to give you fair warning on what the mission of discipleship involves. Discipleship can be defined as accepting the role as a student of the Master or Teacher, which is Jesus Christ, our Lord. The simple logic is that one just has to look to the teacher to learn from His actions, so as to do as He has done for all who are in need.
Today we hear that the 72 were called to be sent forth on a mission to simply say to the world, “Rejoice, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.” Some say the significance of the number 72 correlates to the number of nations listed in the Book of Genesis as descendants of Noah. Matthew witnessed this same invitation to discipleship, but only as it was given to the twelve Apostles, signifying the twelve Tribes of Israel. Mark witnessed that strengthened by the spirit, the Apostles went forth and preached everywhere. (CCC #2) Regardless of the details, a general point is agreed upon by all of the Synoptic Gospels… The mission needs to be announced and it needs to grow, and it needs to do so with a sense of urgency. Looking at the actions of our Lord, here’s how the last month has prepared us for today’s invitation to discipleship:
· We Know We Are Cared For: Just like the miracle of the loaves and fishes, Jesus will make sure that we were all fed enough to fill ourselves and our whole community.
· We Know We Must Cause Them to Speak: Our mission, like Jesus’ raising the dead, is to bring life to those we touch, giving them something to talk about and share with everyone they meet.
· We Know We Must Serve With Humility: Our mission calls on us to be willing to serve those who are in need in the ways they need to be served. Like the woman who washed Jesus’ own feet with her tears and dried them with her hair, we too will be asked to go to the greatest lengths to serve the needy.
· We Know We Must Carry Our Cross: Our mission promises to be fulfilling, and give the world much to rejoice about, but the way will be challenging and cross will bring suffering before we can achieve the success that comes to those who rejoice.
· We Know We Will Be Rejected: We must be prepared for the reality that we will feel like we don’t belong, and like Jesus, when there’s no place for us to lay our head, we must be reassured to know that we have a home in the Kingdom of God, so that when we have finished our mission, and begin our journey home, our example of patience and fortitude will lead others to follow, and in turn rejoice!
Are you still willing to head out with the 72? Before you answer, please notice the following job description as it is outlined in today’s Gospel:
· We are told to carry nothing except that spirit of peace that we will share with the lives and homes we enter. If that person, house or town welcomes you, then accept their food and drink, and be reminded of the Lord’s promise that we are cared for!
· Upon receiving this hospitality, get right to work curing the sick and proclaiming to all that “the kingdom of God is at hand for you”, and be reminded that like the Lord, and the woman who washed His feet with her tears, you are serving those in need in the way they need to be served, touching their lives, calling them to come alive, arise and speak the Truth of this kingdom you’ve come to announce!
· If they reject you, go into their streets, and shake the dust from your feet, and make sure they know that “the kingdom of God is at hand”, and be reminded that the cross we carry is heavy, and like our Lord, we may not find a place to lay our head, for as we hear in today’s Gospel we are being sent like “lambs among wolves”.
Today’s Good News, as witnessed by Luke, offers us an incentive to say YES to Jesus’ invitation. The original 72 Disciples came home from their journey rejoicing because they had proclaimed the name of Jesus, and shared His promise of the coming of the kingdom of God. No serpent or scorpion, nor lightning or Satan could stop them! Today’s Psalm illustrates how disciples of any age feel when they proclaim the Good News that “the kingdom of God at hand!” “Let all the earth cry out with joy… Shout joyfully to God, all the earth, sing praise to the glory of his name; proclaim his glorious praise. Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds!” As for how our work is appreciated by our Lord, today’s Gospel passage ends as Christ looks at his disciples and says, “Do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” But if you were to keep reading, the next verse has Christ giving thanks to His Father saying, “I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.”
So here’s the invitation… Will you serve? Keep in mind that “the harvest is abundant but the laborers are few,” knowing that it will take a lot of time, effort and patience. But please do not overlook how much you are needed and blessed by God, for your work will cause God to be praised… And that is all we’re asked to do!
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