24TH SEPTEMBER 2014 DAILY READING & MEDITATION Reading: Prov 30:5-9; Psalm 119:29, 72, 89, 101, 104, 163; Luke 9:1-6. Jesus gave them authority over all demons and diseases Gospel : Luke 9:1-6 1 And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal. 3 And he said to them, Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. 4 And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. 5 And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them. 6 And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere. 1st Reading. Prov 30:5-9. 5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.7 Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: 9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain. REFLECTION : LUKE 9:1-6 We move on to chapter 9, and we leave out a number of stories in chapter 8 – the calming of a storm on the lake, the healing of a demoniac, the raising of Jairus’ daughter and the healing of a woman with a haemorrhage. These are dealt with elsewhere in our readings from the other gospels. We move into a turning point in the public life of Jesus and in his relationship with his disciples. This is, the third tour of Galilee by Jesus. On the first tour he was accompanied just by the four fishermen he had called first – Peter, Andrew, James and John. On the second all the Twelve were with him and, on the third, he was alone after sending out the Twelve on their own mission. We begin the chapter with Jesus sending his chosen Twelve on their mission. It is the first time he has sent them out on their own without his being with them. Basically, they are to do exactly as their Master does. They are given power over evil forces and to heal sicknesses. They are also to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom. They are to travel in total freedom and so are not to bring anything with them which would make travelling more difficult. No walking staff, or purse, or food, or money, nor even a change of clothing. The Lord wants his disciples to be dependent on him and not on themselves . It is understood that in return for the services they render, the people will support them. And they are not to be choosy about where they are received; they are to stay in the first house that accepts them. And, in places where they and their message and their services are not welcome, they will shake the dust off their feet. This was a symbolic act which the Pharisees practised when they left an “unclean” Gentile area. In this case, the act signifies that people are not just rejecting the disciples but God himself, Whom they bring with their message and their healing. And so they went out, from town to town, proclaiming the Good News and restoring people to wholeness wherever they went. It really was the beginning of the Church. And it was the work of making the Kingdom a reality, God’s will being “done on earth”. What kind of power and authority does God want you to exercise in your personal life and service? The same mission is entrusted to each one of us although it will obviously be adapted to our life situation. We are called, individually and in community, to proclaim the Gospel by word and lifestyle. We are called to help liberate people from the negative forces, addictions of all kinds that can enslave. We are called to be sources of healing and wholeness and for this we do not need to be part of the medical profession. We are called to live lives of simplicity, using only those things which we need for life and work and rejecting all superfluity and luxury. Lord Jesus, make me a channel of your grace and healing love that others may find life and freedom in you. Free me from all other attachments that I may joyfully pursue the things of heaven. May I witness to others the joy of the gospel both in word and deed. Psalm 119:29, 72, 89, 101, 104, 163 29 Put false ways far from me; and graciously teach me thy law! 72 The law of thy mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces. 89 For ever, O LORD, thy word is firmly fixed in the heavens. 101 I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep thy word. 104 Through thy precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. 163 I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love thy law. >>>< Quote from the early church fathers: Jesus gave power and authority to his apostles, by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD) The grace bestowed upon the holy apostles is worthy of all admiration. But the bountifulness of the Giver surpasses all praise and admiration. He gives them, as I said, his own glory. They receive authority over the evil spirits. They reduce to nothing the pride of the devil that was so highly exalted and arrogant. They render ineffectual the demons wickedness. By the might and efficacy of the Holy Spirit, burning them as if they were on fire, they make the devil come forth with groans and weeping from those whom he had possessed... He glorified his disciples, therefore, by giving them authority and power over the evil spirits and over sicknesses. Did he honor them without reason and make them famous without any logical cause? How can this be true? It was necessary, most necessary, that they should be able to work miracles, having been publicly appointed ministers of sacred proclamations. By means of their works, they then could convince men that they were the ministers of God and mediators of all beneath the heaven. The apostles then could invite them all to reconciliation and justification by faith and point out the way of salvation and of life that is this justification.
Posted on: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 01:55:20 +0000
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