Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 10:1-9. October 18,2013 At that time the Lord appointed seventy-two others 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. Reflection: 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 Gods reign on earth. The harvest is the fruition of labor and growth beginning with the sowing of seeds, then growth to maturity, and finally the reaping of fruit for the harvest. 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 Gods word in their life with others. The harvest Jesus had in mind was not only the people of Israel, but all the peoples (or 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). 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 Christ 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. We, in turn, must be willing to offer our lives with gratitude and humble service for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 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 them instructions for how they were to carry out their ministry. They must go and serve as people without guile, full of charity and peace, and simplicity. They must give their full attention to the proclamation of Gods 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 Gods provision. The Lord wants his disciples to be dependent on him and not on themselves. God gives us his 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. Source: Laudate
Posted on: Fri, 18 Oct 2013 06:36:58 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015