Fr. Marsel R. Taruk sx
Reflection 14th Sunday OT year C
In the second week of December 2020, I went home for vacation; however, it was not a pleasant journey at all because of so many restrictions due to pandemic covid 19: PCR test, wearing the face mask in and out of the aircraft, the use of hand sanitizer, social distance, etc. It is interesting to read Jesus’ commissioning of the disciples with certain restrictions: no money bag, no sack, no sandals; no walking sticks and greeting no one along the way. I wonder whether their journey would be a joyful one or not, due to Jesus’ restrictions.
We are all familiar with Jesus’ commissioning of the Twelve in the synoptic gospels; Luke is the only evangelist who gives the account of sending of a further group of seventy. Where does this group come from? It may be literally a different group that Jesus sent during his public ministry. The number seventy indeed was a symbolic number to the Jews. It was the number of the elders who were chosen to help Moses with the task of leading and directing the people in the wilderness. 70 is the classic biblical number of the nations of the world and Luke was the man with the universalist view and it may well be that he was thinking of the day when every nation in the world would know and love the Lord.
This commissioning of the 70 may well intend to say something about the Church's mission generally, not just the mission during Jesus’ time. The evangelization is the Church Mission, never was meant be a personal business; for this reason Jesus sent them in pairs. In other words, the community plays an essential role in the Evangelization.
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers to his harvest”. Imagining the mission as a harvest reminds us that this enterprise is initiated by God and it is not simply a human project. In spreading the Good News we participate in an activity that God is already doing. Prayer is essential in the mission of the Church.
“Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals, and greet no one along the way”. The restrictions of Jesus simply tell us certain supremely important things, namely that the preacher is not to be cluttered up with material things. It is easy to get entangled in the things in life. Moreover, the preacher is to concentrate on his task, a mandate not to engage in extended pleasantries. It is not an instruction to discourtesy but means that the man of God must not turn aside or linger on lesser things while the great stuff calls him.
Today we too are sent out to spread the news of the kingdom, just like the disciples. Not a duty imposed by guilt or command, but by gratitude for the great goodness of God to each of us and all of us. We are people who trust in God for our defence and who depend on the hospitality of others for our sustenance; we have a vision to share.
Reflection 14th Sunday OT year C
In the second week of December 2020, I went home for vacation; however, it was not a pleasant journey at all because of so many restrictions due to pandemic covid 19: PCR test, wearing the face mask in and out of the aircraft, the use of hand sanitizer, social distance, etc. It is interesting to read Jesus’ commissioning of the disciples with certain restrictions: no money bag, no sack, no sandals; no walking sticks and greeting no one along the way. I wonder whether their journey would be a joyful one or not, due to Jesus’ restrictions.
We are all familiar with Jesus’ commissioning of the Twelve in the synoptic gospels; Luke is the only evangelist who gives the account of sending of a further group of seventy. Where does this group come from? It may be literally a different group that Jesus sent during his public ministry. The number seventy indeed was a symbolic number to the Jews. It was the number of the elders who were chosen to help Moses with the task of leading and directing the people in the wilderness. 70 is the classic biblical number of the nations of the world and Luke was the man with the universalist view and it may well be that he was thinking of the day when every nation in the world would know and love the Lord.
This commissioning of the 70 may well intend to say something about the Church's mission generally, not just the mission during Jesus’ time. The evangelization is the Church Mission, never was meant be a personal business; for this reason Jesus sent them in pairs. In other words, the community plays an essential role in the Evangelization.
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers to his harvest”. Imagining the mission as a harvest reminds us that this enterprise is initiated by God and it is not simply a human project. In spreading the Good News we participate in an activity that God is already doing. Prayer is essential in the mission of the Church.
“Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals, and greet no one along the way”. The restrictions of Jesus simply tell us certain supremely important things, namely that the preacher is not to be cluttered up with material things. It is easy to get entangled in the things in life. Moreover, the preacher is to concentrate on his task, a mandate not to engage in extended pleasantries. It is not an instruction to discourtesy but means that the man of God must not turn aside or linger on lesser things while the great stuff calls him.
Today we too are sent out to spread the news of the kingdom, just like the disciples. Not a duty imposed by guilt or command, but by gratitude for the great goodness of God to each of us and all of us. We are people who trust in God for our defence and who depend on the hospitality of others for our sustenance; we have a vision to share.