01 The sending of the 72 disciples

Gospel

Luke 10:1-12

Your peace will rest on that man

The Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them out ahead of him, in pairs, to all the towns and places he himself was to visit. He said to them, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest. Start off now, but remember, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road. Whatever house you go into, let your first words be, “Peace to this house!” And if a man of peace lives there, your peace will go and rest on him; if not, it will come back to you. Stay in the same house, taking what food and drink they have to offer, for the labourer deserves his wages; do not move from house to house. Whenever you go into a town where they make you welcome, eat what is set before you. Cure those in it who are sick, and say, “The kingdom of God is very near to you.” But whenever you enter a town and they do not make you welcome, go out into its streets and say, “We wipe off the very dust of your town that clings to our feet, and leave it with you. Yet be sure of this: the kingdom of God is very near.” I tell you, on that day it will not go as hard with Sodom as with that town.’

Reflection

Jesus sends us into the world with a mission of peace and total reliance on God. By carrying no extra baggage, the seventy-two disciples learned that their authority came from their message, not their possessions. We are called to be "lambs among wolves," vulnerable yet bold in announcing that the Kingdom of God is near. Our role is to offer God’s blessing to every house we enter. Even in the face of rejection, we remain faithful, trusting that God’s peace never returns empty.

Question for Reflection

What "purse or haversack" of comfort or control am I clinging to that prevents me from fully trusting in God’s provision for the mission He has given me?

Prayer

Lord of the Harvest, thank You for calling me to share Your peace. Grant me the courage to be vulnerable and the faith to rely entirely on Your grace. May my words and actions be a constant sign to others that Your Kingdom is near. Amen.

Comments

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