Fr. Francois Noah
The 14th Sunday of ordinary time Year C puts at the centre of our meditation the mission of the seventy two disciples which the Lord Jesus sent ahead of him in order to prepare the way. The goal of the mission is to bring peace to people. Their mission seems fruitful and the perspectives are promising. This mission from the gospel is introduced by Isaiah. The prophet Isaiah invites Jerusalem to be glad and rejoice because of the maternal love that the Lord has for her. In the second reading, Paul the Apostle reminds us of the main motive for boasting which is the Cross of Christ. All these things have one and unique goal: to make sure the name of every follower of Jesus is written in Heaven.
The prophet Isaiah invites Jerusalem to rejoice because God has poured out his maternal love over her. Jerusalem is considered the child of the Lord who wants to take care of Jerusalem as the mother takes care of her child. In order for a mother to console her child, she gives him or her the breast and fondles her in her lap. The prophet Isaiah who came to give hope to the people of Israel after the deportation reminds them of her predilection in the eyes of God. And so what is most important for Israel and for us Christian today?
According to the apostle Paul, the Cross of Jesus Christ is at the center. This is so important that for him the world was crucified and he himself was crucified to the world. So, the crucifixion of Jesus is the source of new humanity whether we are free or slave, rich or poor. As a result of this, peace and mercy follow those who obey Jesus through his crucifixion and resurrection.
The Gospel passage presents the situation of the mission. Jesus appointed seventy two other disciples to go and proclaim a message of peace to the people. The need for the mission is clear: “the harvest is rich, but the labourers are few”. Jesus asks people to pray to God to provide labourers for the harvest. The directives are clear. Firstly, the disciples are sent unarmed. The worries about what to eat, to wear and the lodging are excluded. The word of God is the unique weapon to carry with him. Secondly, the disciples go in pairs and should not move from one house to another one. This is not the hero type of ministry, but a collaborative one, a ministry in community. Thirdly, they should announce peace to people. On one hand, this can be rejected. In that case let the peace return to the sender, that is, to the disciple. On the second hand, the peace can be accepted and in that case, the peace brought by the disciple will rest on the man who accepted this gift.
The Gospel ends with the return of the disciples who related to Jesus their venture and the success they have had. In fact, “even the devils were submitted to them” they said. However, as Jesus reminds them of the most important which is to make sure that “their names are written in the book of life meaning in heaven”. And this is the final lesson for all of us missionaries. The success of mission does not consists in the miracles operated nor in what they have performed. The success is that our actions have led God to enrol our names in his book of life. In this final goal, we are all invited to make sure that the omission of some successful actions or the achievement of applause are not the guarantee of our life in God. Let us ask the Lord to provide labourers for his vineyard.
The 14th Sunday of ordinary time Year C puts at the centre of our meditation the mission of the seventy two disciples which the Lord Jesus sent ahead of him in order to prepare the way. The goal of the mission is to bring peace to people. Their mission seems fruitful and the perspectives are promising. This mission from the gospel is introduced by Isaiah. The prophet Isaiah invites Jerusalem to be glad and rejoice because of the maternal love that the Lord has for her. In the second reading, Paul the Apostle reminds us of the main motive for boasting which is the Cross of Christ. All these things have one and unique goal: to make sure the name of every follower of Jesus is written in Heaven.
The prophet Isaiah invites Jerusalem to rejoice because God has poured out his maternal love over her. Jerusalem is considered the child of the Lord who wants to take care of Jerusalem as the mother takes care of her child. In order for a mother to console her child, she gives him or her the breast and fondles her in her lap. The prophet Isaiah who came to give hope to the people of Israel after the deportation reminds them of her predilection in the eyes of God. And so what is most important for Israel and for us Christian today?
According to the apostle Paul, the Cross of Jesus Christ is at the center. This is so important that for him the world was crucified and he himself was crucified to the world. So, the crucifixion of Jesus is the source of new humanity whether we are free or slave, rich or poor. As a result of this, peace and mercy follow those who obey Jesus through his crucifixion and resurrection.
The Gospel passage presents the situation of the mission. Jesus appointed seventy two other disciples to go and proclaim a message of peace to the people. The need for the mission is clear: “the harvest is rich, but the labourers are few”. Jesus asks people to pray to God to provide labourers for the harvest. The directives are clear. Firstly, the disciples are sent unarmed. The worries about what to eat, to wear and the lodging are excluded. The word of God is the unique weapon to carry with him. Secondly, the disciples go in pairs and should not move from one house to another one. This is not the hero type of ministry, but a collaborative one, a ministry in community. Thirdly, they should announce peace to people. On one hand, this can be rejected. In that case let the peace return to the sender, that is, to the disciple. On the second hand, the peace can be accepted and in that case, the peace brought by the disciple will rest on the man who accepted this gift.
The Gospel ends with the return of the disciples who related to Jesus their venture and the success they have had. In fact, “even the devils were submitted to them” they said. However, as Jesus reminds them of the most important which is to make sure that “their names are written in the book of life meaning in heaven”. And this is the final lesson for all of us missionaries. The success of mission does not consists in the miracles operated nor in what they have performed. The success is that our actions have led God to enrol our names in his book of life. In this final goal, we are all invited to make sure that the omission of some successful actions or the achievement of applause are not the guarantee of our life in God. Let us ask the Lord to provide labourers for his vineyard.