Reflection for Sunday July 3, 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Luke 10:1-12, 17-20

Gospel: Luke 10:1-12, 17-20

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."

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Reflection:

An Extra Ordinary Minister of the Holy Communion was asked by his parish priest if he could go to a nearby village to give the Body of Christ to an old sick man. The minister of the Holy Communion agreed so he went wearing his uniform that would identify him as such. When he arrived everyone was calling him father so the lay minister would always tell them that he was not the priest. Majority of those who were present were also not able to respond to the prayers.

What can we learn from this true story? Many Catholics do not know how to differentiate a priest from a lay minister. Many of us do not even know the basic prayers of the church. Thus many are Catholics in name only. Many still need to be evangelized; many still need to be educated about the teachings of the church.

When Jesus appointed the seventy two to become His co-workers in his vineyard He recognized that there was plentiful harvest but very few workers to help Him. Is this not the situation also right now?  The call of Jesus to the seventy two is His call to us also. Jesus wants us to become His close friends and partners in His ministry of evangelization.

Let us not worry about the cost and hardship that it would entail us because Jesus will always be there for us to help us survive along the way. Let us also not be taken by the superficiality of this world that we don’t notice the gentle voice of God whispering to us to help Him in His mission.

Upon the return of the disciples Jesus told them: “Rejoice because your names are written in heaven." The same words we will hear someday the moment we respond in whatever way to the call of God.

Would you respond to the Lord? – Marino J. Dasmarinas