FROM THE PASTOR Dear Friends of Saint Kevin, If you were preparing to go on a journey but could only take one thing with you, what would that one thing be? Perhaps you would take a GPS to make sure you do not get lost. But what good would a GPS be if you do not have a car to plug it into? Perhaps you would take a smartphone to stay connected with others. But what good would a smartphone be if you have no charger to keep the battery from dying? Perhaps you would take a flashlight so you could see in the dark. But what good would a flashlight be if you did not have any extra batteries to keep it burning? When you come right down to it, it is almost impossible to think of going on a journey and choosing only one thing to take along. And yet is it not that which Jesus is telling the seventy-two he appoints in today’s Gospel and sends in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit? Jesus clearly tells the seventy-two not to take along a money bag, sack, or sandals, but he does tell them to carry along one thing and one thing only, peace! Into whatever house you enter, first say, Peace to this household”. Today’s gospel passage provides several points for us to reflect upon. First, it challenges us to reflect upon the baggage we carry with us throughout life, material possessions as well as emotional guilt and grudges that weigh us down and prevent us from communicating Christ’s peace to others. The point is not that possessions are bad in and of themselves. We simply need to be careful not to let possessions possess us, so that we can experience first in our own hearts the peace Christ wishes us to share with others. How do I relate to the things in my life? What do I need to let go of in order to lighten my load and move forward? Second, today’s Gospel invites us to look at how we are doing at trusting God and others. We profess with our lips that God will provide, and yet in our society today, we face the enormous power of a consumer culture that tries to convince us more is better and that as much as we have, we still need more. At the same time, we live in a society that promotes fierce independence, where you rely on no one but yourself to get ahead in the world. In contrast, Jesus was able to tell the seventy-two to make their journey empty handed because of his profound trust that since God the Father was always providing for his needs as he worked to accomplish the task for which the Father had sent him, that the Father would do the same for all of his children. But Jesus knew that God provided for his needs through the kindness and generosity of others. Do I accept that God sometimes uses the generosity of others to care for me? Do I let God use me to care and provide for the needs of others? Finally, it cannot be overlooked that today’s Gospel is not just about Jesus appointing seventy-two people in a land far away and a time long ago. No, it is clear that Jesus is instructing us as well; all of us who have accepted the call of Baptism and have thereby been set apart to live and love like Christ and to work throughout our lives to bring about and spread the peace that God alone can give so that his Kingdom might grow here on earth, as it is in heaven. The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. How am I doing at responding to God’s call to spread the Good News to others? In what ways do I help build God’s Kingdom here on earth? Are the laborers really so few, or have I simply resisted committing my time, talent, and treasure to serving God and others? We bring our simple gifts of bread and wine to be transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ. What more could God do to provide for our needs than to nourish our bodies with this spiritual food and drink and at the same time hear and save our souls with his redemptive grace? Life is a journey, and no matter where we come from, our destination is the same. As we continue heading toward the Kingdom, remember to pack light because God is here to provide all that we need. Sincerely in Christ, Father John C. Moloney
Posted on: Sun, 07 Jul 2013 11:36:32 +0000
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