Homily for the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C Isaiah 66:10-14/ Psalm 66/ Galatians 6:14-18/ Luke 10:1-12, 17-20 Theme: Urgency and joy of mission The themes of exile, suffering, and God´s proximity to those who suffer are the main topics of today´s Readings. The prophet Isaiah gives us a maternal portrayal of the city of Jerusalem in the days after the Babylonian exile (First Reading). The commissioning of the seventy-two magnifies the radius of Christ´s apostolic outreach (Gospel). St. Paul perceives God´s closeness in the cross he bears for the salvation of souls (Second Reading). The first reading forms part of the book of the Prophet Isaiah called. The inhabitants of the city rejoice in the return to their homeland. In that experience, the author conveys God´s closeness to his people as a mother to her infant; the vindicates Zion. He says: "Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her ... that you may nurse and be satisfied from her consoling breast ( Isaiah 66:10-11). The prophets kept the consolations of God alive in the hearts of the Jews who were exiled to Babylonia. The prophet´s imagery meant to instill confidence in God Yahweh, who has not abandoned them in their hopes to return to the center of Judaism and temple worship. He puts it beautifully, " ... I will extend prosperity to her like a river and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing streams" ( Isaiah 66:12a). Again, the Prophet assures the exile that " As a mother comforts her child, so l will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem" ( Isaiah 66:13). Jesus becomes that fruitful mother who brings comfort and healing to his children as it finds concrete expression in the sending of the seventy-two disciples on mission. The prosperity of any mission trip hinges on the townspeople´s response to welcome the disciples´ preaching as preparation to receive Christ in the flesh. The disciples were to be ambassadors of peace, bringing healing to the sick, deliverance to the possessed and the good news of salvation to lost sinners. If a city rejected the offer of peace, then it chose judgment (Deuteronomy 20:10-18). It is,therefore, a serious thing to reject the ambassadors God sends. The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few. Christ will not do the work alone. He summons disciples in every age who will perpetuate his words and sacraments in a personal way. Catholicism needs men and women to express the person of the Christ in Word and Sacrament. The Lord also made the call of future ministers to the Church depend on the Church´s prayer for laborers. In that regard, our parishioners are to pray for their ministers—that their preaching may not grow lifeless and dull, that their testimony by word and action is inspiring and holy. It is labourers and not spectators who pray for more labourers. Too many Christians are praying for somebody else to do a job they are unwilling to do themselves. The imperative to pray for vocations is for all who are labouring already in the vineyard of the Lord. Pope Francis says let us stop being part time Christians and baby sitters as far as evangelization is concerned. The following are the demands of those called: Their calling was a dangerous one. As they invaded enemy territory, they would be as "lambs" in the midst of wolves. Their innocence and simplicity The demands of the discipleship are readily apparent: The missionary work will require discipline and faith. The disciples travel frugally with no extra provisions to distract them along the way; they place their confidence in Providence. They greet no one along the way so as not to lose a second in the fulfillment of their mission in the assigned villages and towns; time, for them, is to build the Kingdom of Christ. It is hard to imagine the time frame of this mission. This shows the urgency of the message. The disciples shared their stories of conversion and cures. They are happy that even demons submit to them. Jesus affirms this fact by telling them that he saw Satan fall like lightening. But he warn them not to be happy because demons submit to them but because, their names have been written in heaven. Thus Jesus reminds them of his mission namely that they may bring others to Heaven. Jesus is not in a contest with the devil. It is an indictment to his integrity. We too are not in a contest with the devil. Our duty in this mission is to lead others to Christ even at the peril of our lives. The attitude of St. Paul in the second reading should be the attitude of every Christian. St. Paul boasts about his suffering as the mark of his identity as an apostle.His greatest satisfaction lies in bearing it patiently as it becomes the proof of his own configuration with Christ, even to the point of bearing the marks of his Savior in his own flesh. The cross is not meant to be a thing to be systematically shunned. It is not a sign of weakness or defeat. The presence of our different crosses permit us to observe how well we live out humility - a virtue necessary for union with God. In conclusion, Christ continues calling larger tiers of followers beyond the Twelve and seventy-two. The call of Christ is more than present and relevant even among us profoundly today. Ours is to work and pray for vocations.
Posted on: Sat, 06 Jul 2013 12:17:50 +0000
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