Reflection for the 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle C
The lectionary translation of the readings for this Sunday can be found at HERE
1st Reading:
Isaiah 66:10–14c
This is the end of a prophecy written after the Babylonian exile and the return of the exiled people to Jerusalem. The city was the symbol of the Hebrew people and their faith in God and it now lay in ruins. The oracle admonishes them to not give up. The prophet likens the troubles of Jerusalem to the difficulties a mother experiences during pregnancy and labor. The final result will be the birth of a new Jerusalem from which the savior will come.
2nd Reading:
Galatians 6:14–18
The selection we have today is from the end of the Letter to the Galatians. It is the end of Paul’s discussion of the reason why non-Jewish Christians should not be circumcised. He points out the mark of Jesus is more important than the mark of circumcision.
Gospel:
Luke 10:1–12; 17-20
Setting & Parallels:
This is occurs after the first two passion predictions, the Transfiguration, the healing of a boy with a demon, the argument about who is the greatest in the Kingdom and the complaint about another exorcist healing in Jesus’ name. Luke begins the section on the Journey to Jerusalem with the story of his rejection by the Samaritans and a couple of remarks about what it takes to follow Jesus. This story only occurs in Luke. The story of the twelve being sent out occurs in Lk 9:1-6 as it does in Mt 10:1-12 and Mk 6:7-13.
Verse by Verse:
Lk 10:1a “After this the Lord appointed seventy[-two] others…” | Some important manuscripts say seventy, while others say seventy-two. The “others” are other than the twelve sent out in Lk 9:1-6.
Lk 10:1b “…to every town and place he intended to visit.” | Their mission was one of preparing the way for the Lord.
Lk 10:2 “…The harvest is abundant…” | The harvest is the people ready to be brought into the kingdom.
Lk 10:3 “…I am sending you like lambs among wolves.” | AYBC says “The contrast of lambs and wolves suggests the perils, opposition, and hostility which will mark the mission of the seventy(-two), as that of Jesus himself.” There may be similar circumstances for evangelists today. Conflict has already been seen in the stories leading up to the sending of the seventy-two.
Lk 10:4a “Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals…” | Put your trust completely in the Lord.
Lk 10:4b “…and greet no one along the way.” | Allow nothing to distract you from the urgency of the mission.
Lk 10:5 “…say, ‘Peace to this household.’” | Part of the mission is to bring messianic peace to those able to accept it. AYBC explains “Peace is not to be understood in this context as merely the opposite of war, but in the OT sense of šālôm, the root of which is šlm, “completeness, wholeness.” It expresses rather the comprehensive bounty of God’s salvific presence and activity.”
Lk 10:9 “cure the sick in it [in the village]…” | It seems to me that the bringing of peace and the curing of disease, which the ancient people connected to sinfulness, are attributes of the kingdom.
Lk 10:9 “…the kingdom of God is at hand for you.” | Remember that Jesus is going to visit the places to which he sent the 72. If you think of the kingdom of God as the rule of God, it is easy to see how Jesus is the presence of the kingdom. Because he is coming to visit, he is close at hand.
Lk 10:17 “…Lord, even the demons are subject to us…” | When the kingdom is effective, good wins out over evil. Peace prevails, the sick are cured, those who cause evil to happen are gone.
What the 1st hearers heard:
I think they must have heard that the kingdom of God is a place of peace and the absence of demons. I also think they heard that it is not imposed on anyone; it’s a free choice.
What would change if our community really heard this Gospel?
If we really heard this, we would want to live in that kingdom of peace. The antagonisms, divisions, prejudice and hatred, which are so rampant in our society, would diminish.
What is the good news in this Gospel?
That kingdom of peace is close at hand if we are open to it.
Gospel Reflection
The Closer
I was a cruise priest for a couple of years with Holland America Line. When we pulled into port I would usually get a cabby to take me into town away from the tourists. Well, one time the cabby would have none of that. He had a special coupon for me with a valuable gift if I would just sit through a presentation at one of the new resorts being developed.
Two staff showed me the video and then the type of units I could purchase for a two week period every year. They were very nice and I was polite until I had seen enough and wanted to get my prize and go.
That’s when a person called the closer showed up. His job was to identify whatever objections I had to buying at that time, dispense with them and get me to part with a sizable sum of money. I fought him off as hard as I could and eventually was able to get away. I don’t remember whether I left with my prize or not. I was just happy to get away from them.
If the closer were there to simply solidify the good things the other two told me about, and not been so bent on getting money from me, this would have been much more like our Gospel story.
In the Gospel story, the seventy-two are those who are preparing us for the arrival of the closer. They are not trying to prepare us to part with our money, they are trying to prepare us for the great free gift that the Kingdom of God is. If we resist, they don’t pressure us, they move on.
The closer is the gift itself; the free gift of the presence of the Kingdom of God in the person of Jesus Christ. This is the kingdom of peace and healthiness and the absence of evil demons. Yet we resist. We believe the answer is found in earthly wisdom, the wisdom of wealth, power, pleasure, honor or whatever else substitute for God we decide to try. It seems to me that the demons exist within those substitutes. We see them at play all the time in our world. Yet, we keep relying on them.
The question is, “How do we open ourselves to the promise of the Kingdom?” and not let it pass us by. First, we must commit to letting go of our substitutes. That is the only way to make room for peace in our hearts. Secondly, we try living in the Kingdom. We try living in the Kingdom’s law of love one hundred percent of the time. It’s as simple as that. If we can do it, we experience the presence of the King in every aspect of our day-to-day lives.
If we are already doing it, we become part of the seventy-two. We become instruments of our Lord’s peace to others. We help them dispel their demons. And, we prepare the way for the Lord. That’s our job! That’s how we feel the excitement the seventy-two felt when they returned from their mission.
The more of us who open ourselves to the kingdom, which is so close at hand, the more our society will let go of the divisions, antagonisms, prejudice and hatred that are so rampant today.
Peace be with you…
Personal Reflection:
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. Lk 10:5-9
Question:
What words or phrases attracted your attention during the Liturgy of the Word on Sunday? What connection do those words or phrases have to your day-to-day life? (Why do you think they attracted your attention?) What might God be trying to say to you through these words or phrases? What response should you make? What action should you take?
Alternative:
Share about/Reflect upon things you are experiencing which are indications that the Kingdom of Heaven (Reign of God) is not in effect in society today. How do these things effect you? How do you try to protect yourself? How can you make the Kingdom of God active in your life? What would that look like?
