Christ and the Apostles, George Rouault

Readings

New American Bible (Philippines, USA)

Jerusalem Bible (Australia, England & |Wales, Ireland, Scotland)

Gospel Lk 10:1-12, 17-20 or 10:1-9 (NAB)

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.'
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."

The seventy-two returned rejoicing, and said,
"Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name."
Jesus said, "I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.
Behold, I have given you the power to 'tread upon serpents' and scorpions
and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you,
but rejoice because your names are written in heaven."

or

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.'"

+++

Jesus Prepares Witnesses to Himself and His Ministry

Biblical Reflection for 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time C

By Father Thomas Rosica, CSB

TORONTO, JUNE 29, 2010 (Zenit.org).- The theme of "peacefulness" appears in all three readings today, and there is a definite link between the first reading from Isaiah (66:10-14c) and the reading from the Gospel of Luke (10:1-12, 17-20). Isaiah's poetry celebrates the long-awaited return of Israel from exile and imagines their triumphant return to the nurturing arms of Jerusalem, the Holy City and Mother of all cities.

Full text here. 

+++

Mission and Maintenance

Fr Fabian Radcliffe OP

Today's Gospel reading is about Jesus sending out seventy-two disciples to preach the good news of the Kingdom. Since Dominicans are called the Order of Preachers, these words must have something special to say to us. But every baptised person is called to spread the Gospel too, so there will also be a message here for everyone.  

Jesus sends the disciples out in twos to visit all the towns and villages where he was planning to come himself. He does not let them settle down in those places, any more than he himself planned to settle down; he tells them to preach and then move on. Earlier he had resisted the inclination to stay at Capernaum, by saying, 'I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose' (Luke 4:43). Immediately before his Ascension his final words were, 'Go and make disciples of all nations' (Matthew 28: 19).

Full text here.