FEAST OF ST. LUKE, EVANGELIST
Psalter: Proper / (Red)
Ps 145:10-11, 12-13, 17-18
Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
1st Reading: 2 Tim 4:10-17b
You must know, that Demas has deserted me, for the love of this world: he returned to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia and Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke remains with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is a useful helper in my work. I sent Tychicus to Ephesus.
Bring with you the cloak I left at Troas, in Carpos‘ house, and also the scrolls, especially the parchments. Alexander, the metalworker, has caused me great harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. Distrust him, for he has been very much opposed to our preaching.
At my first hearing in court, no one supported me; all deserted me. May the Lord not hold it against them. But the Lord was at my side, giving me strength, to proclaim the word fully, and let all the pagans hear it. So I was rescued from the lion‘s mouth.
Gospel: Lk 10:1-9
After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two other disciples, and sent them, two by two, ahead of him, to every town and place, where he himself was to go. And he said to them, ”The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. So you must ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers to his harvest. Courage! I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Set off without purse or bag or sandals; and do not stop at the homes of those you know.
Whatever house you enter, first bless them, saying, ‘Peace to this house!‘ If a friend of peace lives there, the peace shall rest upon that person. But if not, the blessing will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking at their table, for the worker deserves to be paid. Do not move from house to house.
When they welcome you to any town, eat what they offer you. Heal the sick who are there, and say to them: ‘The kingdom of God has drawn near to you.‘
REFLECTION:
During harvest time, a sufficient number of laborers is needed to make the reaping faster and easier. There would be a delay if the harvest is abundant but the laborers are few. This is also true with the missionary work of the Church. There are still a lot of people who haven‘t heard and known Christ, but only few people have the courage to dedicate their life for missionary work.
Our Lord appointed seventy-two other disciples and sent them ”two by two” because going out in pairs could serve as an avenue to manifest mutual support; to bear witness to the truth of their testimony; and to concretize the message of the gospel of peace.
As baptized Christians, we are called to be missionaries. If not by going to distant places, we can be missionaries in our own ways and in our own places by supporting the mission initiatives of the Church, by praying for all the missionaries, and by being witnesses of the gospel through our words and actions. Each of us could serve as instruments of both ”bringing Christ to others” and ”bringing others to Christ” in our own way. This would be easier if we perform our mission with another person or with the community itself.
Daily Reflection
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Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL
With permission from the EPISCOPAL COMMISION ON LITURGY of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines
Readings and Reflections
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