PRI Reflections on Scripture • 10-18-24 - Feast of Saint Luke, evangelist

Finding God In Our Hearts with Msgr. Don Fischer

Gospel

Luke 10:1-9

The Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two disciples

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 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.'"

Reflection

We know how Jesus felt about the temple and its corruption, and we see in this passage the beginning of what he longs to instill within us. It's a form of the church, individuals being called to have a deep, profound impact on one another by coming into each other's lives with peace, not judgment, not condemnation, but peace, and then healing them.

Peace and healing is a sign of the New Kingdom, the Kingdom of God. And in this passage, we see the beginning of that marvelous work established by Jesus.

Closing Prayer

Father, we have a clear indication of what you do not want. You do not want us judging and condemning each other. But you want us to be loving and caring for each other. Help us to understand this message and draw us away from the things that keep the kingdom of God from finding root and being fruitful within the lives of those who are touched by it. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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