Instructions for Our Mission

Pastor Column

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

July 3, 2016

Christ sends the disciples out on a mission to preach the gospel in this Sunday’s readings (Luke 10:1-12;17-20), and though our circumstances are different, we can gain insight into our own mission in the world by meditating on Christ’s instructions.

The importance of prayer: Jesus advises us to begin by asking and praying to the Lord of the harvest before our daily tasks for him.

The need for action: Jesus tells the disciples to go on their way. Each day, our mission for Christ will involve the people and circumstances God has permitted in our lives. God’s plan of action for us is that we can be better witnesses for him by what we say and what we do (or don’t do!) each day.

We may encounter danger for him: Jesus’ mission for us will involve danger at times and we must rely on Jesus to keep us spiritually safe. He counsels innocence and

sincerity in all that we do. If we are truly living the gospel, persecution will inevitably come either in the form of temptations or from societal pressure to sin or through the evil others can do. Jesus wants us, in the end, to rely on Divine Providence.

Urgency: When Jesus tells the disciples to “greet no one along the road”, for us this means that we are called to keep our focus on him as we go about our daily lives. The goal is to have a singleness of purpose for Christ that underlies everything we are about, and if we strive to do this he will bring peace to the “house” we are living in.

Acceptance and gratitude: Literally, Jesus advises his disciples to eat what is set before you and not keep searching for constant upgrades in life. By practicing a greater sense of gratitude and acceptance for what we have received now, we are often propelled to deep intimacy with Christ (and we find God provides what we need).

Worldly success is not guaranteed: We may experience rejection at times for our faith by others, but this is their loss, not ours. The Lord did not exactly look like a winner on the cross, either, and he may allow us to experience this at times, too.

Perseverance: God always has the last word. He wins in the end! The Lord looks at our efforts, not our successes! He will complete and accept what we cannot finish, as long as we have done our best.

Father Gary