July 7, 2013

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Thus says the LORD:
Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad because of her,
all you who love her;
exult, exult with her,
all you who were mourning over her!
Oh, that you may suck fully
of the milk of her comfort,
that you may nurse with delight
at her abundant breasts!
For thus says the LORD:
Lo, I will spread prosperity over Jerusalem like a river,
and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing torrent.
As nurslings, you shall be carried in her arms,
and fondled in her lap;
as a mother comforts her child,
so will I comfort you;
in Jerusalem you shall find your comfort.

When you see this, your heart shall rejoice
and your bodies flourish like the grass;
the LORD’s power shall be known to his servants.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20

R. (1) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
Shout joyfully to God, all the earth,
sing praise to the glory of his name;
proclaim his glorious praise.
Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds!”
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
“Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you,
sing praise to your name!”
Come and see the works of God,
his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
He has changed the sea into dry land;
through the river they passed on foot;
therefore let us rejoice in him.
He rules by his might forever.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare
what he has done for me.
Blessed be God who refused me not
my prayer or his kindness!
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Reading 2 Gal 6:14-18

Brothers and sisters:
May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
through which the world has been crucified to me,
and I to the world.
For neither does circumcision mean anything, nor does uncircumcision,
but only a new creation.
Peace and mercy be to all who follow this rule
and to the Israel of God.

From now on, let no one make troubles for me;
for I bear the marks of Jesus on my body.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit,
brothers and sisters. Amen.

Gospel Lk 10:1-12, 17-20

At that time the Lord appointed seventy-two others
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 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.’
Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you,
go out into the streets and say,
‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet,
even that we shake off against you.’
Yet know this: the kingdom of God is at hand.
I tell you,
it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town.”

The seventy-two returned rejoicing, and said,
“Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.”
Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.
Behold, I have given you the power to ‘tread upon serpents’ and scorpions
and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you,
but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

or LK 10:1-9

Sunday Scripture Study

Scripture Study

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle C

Opening prayer

Isaiah 66:10-14c (Ps 66:1-7,16,20) Galatians 6:14-18 Luke 10:1-12,17-20

Overview of the Gospel:

• This Sundays Gospel reading finds Jesus and his disciples still on their way to Jerusalem. As

he makes his way, he sends his disciples ahead of him to the towns he will pass through to

prepare them for his coming.

• This sending of the 70 recalls the selection by Moses of seventy elders (Numbers 11:24-25)

and the governing council of the Jews of Jesus time, the seventy Sanhedrin. They also may

have represented the seventy known nations of the earth (Genesis 10:2-31).

• Jesus likens those who are to be reached with the Gospel as fields “white for harvest” (see

John 4:35; Isaiah 27:12-13), and his disciples to the harvesters. They are to go forth

dependent entirely on God and single-minded in their purpose. He has harsh words (verses

13-16, omitted in this reading) for towns that spurn his message.

• At the end of their mission they “return rejoicing” at their apparent power over Satan’s demons.

Jesus, however, reminds them that they have an even greater reason for rejoicing.

Questions:

• Why does Jesus send the disciples out in pairs? What are they looking for (verse 2)?

• How is the Christian disciple like a “laborer for his harvest”? A “lamb among wolves”? What

was the purpose of traveling light (verse 4)? Of praying first, going later (verse 2)? What kind

of houseguests are the disciples to be (verse 5)? Why?

• How are they to relate to the towns they visit (verses 6-12)? What is their message?

• How do verses 1-12 show the urgency Jesus himself senses for evangelism? What is the

reason for this urgency? What do you know about Sodom (Genesis 19:24-28)?

• The First Reading (Isaiah 66:10-14) talks about the joy of the exiled upon returning to a

restored and richly abundant Jerusalem. Applying this to the Kingdom of God, the New

Jerusalem, what should we be looking forward to and rejoicing in?

• What does Jesus mean when he says he “observed Satan falling like lightning from the sky”?

(see Luke 11:14-23. Also Revelation 12:9 and Isaiah 14:12)

• When have you felt like a lamb among wolves? What did you learn from the experience?

• How do you feel about the harvest where you live? What would it take for you to become more

involved in the harvest?

Catechism of the Catholic Church: §§ 764-5, 787, 2122, 2611

Closing Prayer

No sacrifice is more acceptable to God than zeal for souls. -St. Gregory the Great

Remember to read and meditate on the daily Mass readings!

Sunday Scripture Study for Catholics

www.sundayscripturestudy.com

"The harvest is plentiful... Pray the Lord to send out laborers

into his harvest"

Scripture: Luke 10:1-12, 17-20

Meditation: What kind of harvest

does the Lord want us to reap today?

Luke the Evangelist dedicated his

life to telling others of the good

news of Jesus Christ. Luke's account

in his Gospel and in the Acts of the

Apostles emphasizes the mission of

Jesus to bring the kingdom of God

to every corner of the world. When

Jesus commissioned seventy of his

disciples to go on mission, he gave

them a vision of a great harvest for

the kingdom of God. Jesus

frequently used the image of a

harvest to convey the coming of

God’s reign on earth. The harvest is

the fruition of labor and growth –

beginning with the sowing of seeds,

then growth, and finally fruit for the

harvest. In like manner, the word of

God is sown in the hearts of

receptive men and women who hear

his word and who accept it with trust

and obedience. The harvest Jesus

had in mind was not only the people

of Israel, but all the peoples (or

nations) of the world. John the

Evangelist tells us that "God so

loved the world that he gave his one

and only Son, that whoever believes

in him shall not perish but have

eternal life" (John 3:16).

What does Jesus mean when he says

his disciples must be "lambs in the

midst of wolves"? The prophet Isaiah

foretold a time when wolves and

lambs will dwell in peace (Isaiah

11:6 and 65:25). This certainly

refers to the second coming of Christ

when all will be united under the

Lordship of Jesus after he has put

down his enemies and established

the reign of God over the heavens

and the earth. In the meantime, the

disciples must expect opposition and

persecution from those who would

oppose the gospel. Jesus came as our

sacrificial lamb to atone for the sin

of the world. We, in turn, must be

willing to sacrifice our lives in

humble service of our Lord and

Master.

What is the significance of Jesus

appointing seventy disciples to the

ministry of the word? Seventy was a

significant number in biblical times.

Moses chose seventy elders to help

him in the task of leading the people

through the wilderness. The Jewish

Sanhedrin, the governing council for

the nation of Israel, was composed

of seventy members. In Jesus’ times

seventy was held to be the number

of nations throughout the world.

Jesus commissioned the seventy to a

two-fold task: to speak in his name

and to act with his power. Jesus gave

them instructions for how they were

to carry out their ministry. They

must go and serve as people without

guile, full of charity and peace, and

simplicity. They must give their full

attention to the proclamation of

God’s kingdom and not be diverted

by other lesser things. They must

travel light – only take what was

essential and leave behind whatever

would distract them – in order to

concentrate on the task of speaking

the word of the God. They must do

their work, not for what they can get

out of it, but for what they can give

freely to others, without expecting

reward or payment. “Poverty of

spirit” frees us from greed and

preoccupation with possessions and

makes ample room for God’s

provision. The Lord wants his

disciples to be dependent on him and

not on themselves.

Jesus ends his instructions with a

warning: If people reject God’s

invitation and refuse his word, then

they bring condemnation on

themselves. When God gives us his

word there comes with it the great

responsibility to respond.

Indifference will not do. We are

either for or against God in how we

respond to his word. God gives us

his word that we may have abundant

life in him. He wills to work through

and in each of us for his glory. God

shares his word with us and he

commissions us to speak it boldly

and simply to others. Do you

witness the truth and joy of the

gospel by word and example to

those around you?

Why does Jesus tell his disciples to

not take joy in their own successes,

even spiritual ones? Jesus makes

clear that the true source of our joy

is God, and God alone. Regardless

of the circumstances, in good times

and bad times, in success or loss,

God always assures us of victory in

Jesus Christ. Jesus assures his

disciples that he has all power over

evil, including the power of Satan

and the evil spirits or fallen angels

who conspire against us. In fact, that

is why Jesus came into the world to

overthrow the evil one (John 12:31).

We, too, as disciples of Jesus have

been given spiritual authority and

power for overcoming the works of

darkness and evil (1 John 2:13-14).

“Lord Jesus, may the joy and truth

of the gospel transform my life that I

may witness it to those around me.

Grant that I may spread your truth

and your light wherever I go.”

www.rc.net/wcc/readings/

Insight Scoop

Proclaiming the Kingdom in the splendor of the Son

A Scriptural Reflection on the Readings for Sunday, July 7, 2013, the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time | Carl E. Olson

Readings:
• Is 66:10-14c
• Ps 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20
• Gal 6:14-18
• Lk 10:1-12, 17-20

Anyone who has seen a sunrise from a viewpoint overlooking a grand vista knows the wonder of seeing the contours of the earth revealed as the light washes over the landscape and chases away the shadows. A world once dark and confining becomes bright and expansive, and a sense of direction and place is enlivened.

In an analogous, but much more profound way, the Transfiguration of the Lord (Lk. 9:28-36) was the light that revealed to the disciples a world bright and expansive. It gave them a brief but life-changing glimpse into the splendor of the kingdom of God. “At His Transfiguration,” wrote St. Thomas Aquinas, “Christ showed his disciples the splendor of His beauty, to which He will shape and color those who are His…”

What does this have to do with today’s Gospel? A great deal, for everything that happened after the Transfiguration and led up to Christ’s Passion was illuminated and touched by the glory seen by Peter, James, and John. And while those three apostles kept silent about what they saw (Lk. 9:36), the Evangelist Luke wanted his readers to understand the landscape of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem in the light of that glorious event.

When Jesus appointed seventy-two men (or seventy, depending on the translation), he deliberately patterned his action after the selection of seventy elders by Moses. Those men were meant to share in the spirit given to Moses so that, as God told Moses, “they may share the burden of the people with you” (Num. 11:16-17). Earlier, Jesus had given the Twelve “power and authority” over demons and illness, then sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick (Lk. 9:1-6). Some of the Church fathers understood this as an establishment of apostolic authority, whereas the selection of the seventy pointed toward the establishment of the priesthood, for priests are co-workers who assist the bishops in their duties (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 886, 939).

But this action not only foreshadowed the priesthood, it revealed even further the prophetic, missionary character of Jesus’ work. Sent to proclaim the presence of the kingdom of the God, the disciples were given strict, even ascetic, directives: carry no money, carry no sandals, greet no one along the way. They were exhorted to elicit a response, a decision for or against Jesus and his message. “Jesus’ own understanding of his and his followers’ identity,” explains N.T. Wright in Jesus and the Victory of God (Fortress Press, 1996), “went far beyond the picture of a teacher of miscellaneous truths or maxims. The corporate identity of the new movement belonged firmly within the world of Jewish eschatological expectations.”

The kingdom of God is the fulfillment of those expectations about the meaning of history and God’s plan for mankind—and the Church is “the seed and beginning of this kingdom” (CCC, 567, 669). Christ established the kingdom by his preaching and his Passion, and he entrusted the message of the kingdom to the Twelve and to the Church so it would grow and so it could be seen for those with eyes to see. “In the word, in the works, and in the presence of Christ, this kingdom was clearly open to the view of men” (Lumen Gentium, 5).

But men will only see it if they turn toward the light of the Lord, humbling gazing, if you will, upon the Transfiguration so they might be transformed. This transformation, St. Paul told the Galatians, comes by the way of “the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,” which brings about a new creation. Paul’s blessing—“Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule”—was a direct continuation of the peace granted to those who accepted the disciples sent forth by Jesus: “Peace to this household.”

And every household that accepts Jesus is taken into the household of God, the Church, which Paul called “the Israel of God.” Within it, a world once dark and confining becomes bright and expansive.

(This "Opening the Word" column originally appeared in the July 4, 2010, edition of Our Sunday Visitor newspaper.)

Vultus Christi

When a monk runs away

Dom Mark

on July 7, 2013 5:48 AM ||

CHAPTER XXIX. Whether the Brethren who Leave the Monastery Are to Be Received Again

6 Mar. 6 July. 5 Nov.

If any brother who through his own fault departeth or is cast out of the Monastery, be willing to return, let him first undertake to amend entirely the fault for which he went away; and then let him be received back into the lowest place, that thus his humility may be tried. Should he again depart, let him be taken back until the third time: knowing that after this all return will be denied to him.

That His Humility May Be Tried

It sometimes happens that monks "run away from home." It is the old story, so often recounted by the Desert Fathers, of the monk who misses his old haunts amidst the lights and glamour and action of The Big City, or of the monk who thinks that the solution to his melancholy and distaste for prayer (class symptoms of accedia) is elsewhere, anywhere, but in his monastery. More often than not, the monk who runs away from the monastery -- after coming to his senses in the world -- wants to run back to it. Saint Benedict is patient and wise. The monk, humbled and chastened by his rash behaviour and instability, is to be received back into the community, and this up to three times.

A Gentle Mercy

Outwardly, there is no killing of the fatted calf, no fine new clothes or shoes for his feet, nor sounds of high merriment; but there will be the gentle mercy of the Abbot manifested with a quiet, manly restraint, and there will be the charity of the brethren who recognize in their wayward brother the runaway in themselves, and are moved to compassion for him. The returning brother is welcomed into the lowest place in order to try his humility. Has he really learned something about himself and about God from this unfortunate escapade? Will it become for him an occasion of grace and of compunction?

Separation

After three episodes like this, however, Saint Benedict would have the Abbot help the runaway brother to understand that his comings and goings are not helpful to himself, nor are they good for the community. He will need to make a final choice and if that choice is for life in the world and separation from the monastery, the Abbot will ratify his choice; the necessary canonical procedure will be followed; and a new chapter will begin in the man's life. There will always men who love the idea of monastic life but who, for one reason or another, cannot adjust to living it day in and day out. Such men can go on to live holy and fruitful lives in the world but they must keep in mind that the nostalgia for certain aspects of monastic life does not constitute a vocation to it.

Regnum Christi

Set Ablaze for Souls

| SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Luke 10:1-9

The Lord appointed 72 others 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 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.´"

Introductory Prayer: Lord, I bring myself into your presence knowing the zeal of your heart for souls. The glory of your heavenly Father can shape my own heart. I am confident that, just as the 72 lit the flame of their love for their mission from the furnace of your divine love, I can ignite all that is lukewarm and tepid in my own soul today. I desire to fulfill more perfectly the mission you have given me.

Petition: Lord, fill my heart with a holy zeal to make you known to many people!

1. Loving Souls without Limits: Contemplate our Lord’s hunger to bring salvation to the many souls whose number exceeds the reach of his humanity. His passionate, driving love for men breaks the confines of his human nature, multiplying his presence in the world. We can be so easily drained by the never-ending needs of those we serve. We can close the door on others with comfortable excuses; we can ignore their needs, for which God wishes to put a solution in our hands. Christ’s heart, rather, is expansive and grows with the awareness of the need of men for him. Creatively he brings a divine solution into play to reach more souls, heal more hearts, cure more ills. Does my charity bring me to use all my creativity, intelligence and will-power to meet the needs of those God has entrusted to my care? Does divine wisdom, rooted in prayer, come into play in how I serve others?

2. Christ Is to Be Known through Me: Christ uses his divine power to multiply himself, commissioning these disciples to be in effect other Christs in the world. This sending out of the 72 is a critical juncture in the plan of salvation. Here ordinary men, who at one time were simple-hearted recipients of Christ’s redeeming message, are now to be the carriers of that message to others. Yet with all their weaknesses, how could they ever hope to offer others an experience of Christ like that which they themselves experienced, an experience which is so ineffable and sublime? Christ explains: It will be done by their obedience, especially to the details of behavior that he outlines for them. It will be done by acting in Christ’s name, knowing that he has commissioned them. It will be accomplished not through their own talents and charismatic personalities, but through the power and grace of God that comes to those who serve him with a pure heart. I can reflect on my own vocation and see that it has its ultimate source in God, not in my own preferences. Knowing God has given me my mission in life, I must, like the 72, purify myself of all self-centeredness and personal ambition in order to respond to his singular invitation. Can others experience Christ through me?

3. In the End, Lambs Conquer: Wolves appear when the lamb is present. I should not think that opposition and contradiction mark the end of my mission. Rather, they are a sign of its authenticity. Being a lamb among wolves implies that the wolves are best defeated by the meekness and simplicity with which a disciple of Christ lives his life. A pure and selfless heart does not permit bitterness, resentment and hardship to weaken its commitment.

Conversation with Christ: Lord, I wish to form my heart to be conquering and meek like your own, certain of the victory that awaits those who suffer in doing your will. Grant me the grace never to fall away from your divine commission. Every morning, help me to awaken with a generous and faithful spirit to its beauty and goodness.

Resolution: Today I will put more effort into the details that prove my love for my vocation.

Scripture Speaks : Reaping the Harvest

by Gayle Somers on July 5, 2013 ·

Jesus sends out 72 disciples on a missionary journey, granting them significant spiritual authority. Wasn’t that risky?

Gospel (Read Lk 10:1-12, 17-20)

As Jesus traveled to Jerusalem from Galilee for the last time, St. Luke tells us He commissioned 72 disciples “whom He sent ahead of Him in pairs to every town and place He intended to visit.” In His reliance on others to help Him proclaim the kingdom of God, He reminds us of Moses, who commissioned 70 elders to be prophets in Israel during the Exodus (see Num 11:24-25). The Sanhedrin, with its 71 elders, modeled itself after this leadership structure. Why 70? In Genesis, we find that there were 70 nations that formed the foundation of the ancient world. The ministry of approximately 70 disciples, therefore, anticipates a worldwide spread of the Gospel.

Jesus sees the readiness of the “harvest” of God’s people. The world’s long anticipation of Someone to come save it was now being fulfilled. Jesus speaks of the timing as entirely within God’s Providence. Although the “harvest” is “abundant,” it is God Who will choose and send the laborers to reap it. All that led up to the Incarnation in the history of the world, and all that follows from it is in God’s hands.

Jesus gives specific instructions to the disciples. This is to be a brief expedition, because Jesus Himself will follow after their visits. No need to pack and prepare for a long stay. Because of its brevity and urgency, announcing the arrival of Jesus, they must avoid all distractions (“greet no one along the way”). They are to accept the hospitality of those to whom they are sent (“the laborer deserves his payment”). This is the principle, often repeated in the New Testament (see 1 Cor 9:14; 1 Tim 5:18) that those working in the service of the Gospel are to be supported by the beneficiaries of that service. The Church, therefore, following this instruction, obligates her members to contribute to the Church from their earnings (see CCC 2043, 2122). We give our tithes not because the priest asks it of us, but because Jesus does.

The disciples are to cure the sick and to preach the coming of God’s kingdom. Those who do no receive them are to receive a warning. Jews were familiar with this action of shaking dust off their shoes. They did it whenever they traveled into Gentile territory and then returned to the Holy Land. It was a sign that they wanted to separate themselves from the uncleanness of the pagans, who lived outside God’s covenant. For the disciples to use this gesture against Jewish towns that refused to receive them or Jesus would be a strong statement indeed, because it would suggest that the covenant people of God, by this rejection, were actually rejecting that covenant. Stiff medicine!

When the 72 returned from their work, what did they first want to tell Jesus? “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of Your Name.” Ah, yes. Might we have expected this? And isn’t this why it was risky for Jesus, then and now, to build His Church through human beings? The disciples returned with heady excitement over the authority they were able to exercise. It can be intoxicating to have power like this. Jesus acknowledges that His kingdom makes advances against the forces of Satan through the laborers in His Church. However, He warns them not to “rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” It will not be apostolic success that matters eternally; it will be the obedience that comes from faith that will write our names (and keep them) in the heavenly “book of life” (see Ex 32:32; Ps 69:28; Dan 12:1; Rev 3:5). Jesus was willing to take the risks that come with building a human Church, sharing His authority and power with mere men. What a remarkable statement of God’s love for the creatures made in His image and likeness. May He give us grace to walk worthy of it.

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Proclaiming the Kingdom in the splendor of the Son

When a monk runs away

Scripture Speaks : Reaping the Harvest

One Bread, One Body

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