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."
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
Is it hard to
follow the way of Jesus? Yes it’s hard, so we will not follow anymore because
it’s hard or we still follow even if it’s hard?
When Jesus sent the
seventy two in pairs to serve as His advance party they knew that it would not
be a walk in the park for them. They knew that there would be difficulties and
hardships as they move ahead with their mission.
Knowing all these
difficulties that they are going to face yet they still proceed with their
mission. Why? Why proceed when there were many dangers and uncertainties ahead
of them? They proceeded because they knew that the abiding presence of Jesus
would always be there for them.
This is what weakens
our resolve when we follow Jesus; our fear/s of facing the many difficulties and
uncertainties. But why fear when the abiding presence of Jesus is always there
by our side?
If we will let fear
paralyze us there would be no more laborers in the vineyard of the Lord. There
would be no more laborers who will take care, shepherd and minister to the
abundant harvest.
Why fear when Jesus Himself said: “I am with
you always until the end of the world (Matthew 28:20)”. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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