THE LORD SENDS LABOURERS
Introduction
Today, we celebrate two close associates of the apostle Paul. Paul put them in charge of Christian communities and wrote letters to them to tell them what is expected of leaders of Christian communities, especially how they should be servants and models of the people entrusted to them.
Opening Prayer
Lord our God, Saints Timothy and Titus, assistants of St. Paul, passed on the mighty Word of your Son and tried to live by them. Give to your Church credible leaders who lead in living by the Word and life of Jesus. Let their words stir our hearts and bring us the new life of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen!
1 Reading: 2 Timothy 1:1-8
Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God for the promise of life in Christ Jesus, to Timothy, my dear child: grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I am grateful to God, whom I worship with a clear conscience as my ancestors did, as I remember you constantly in my prayers, night and day. I yearn to see you again, recalling your tears, so that I may be filled with joy, as I recall your sincere faith that first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and that I am confident lives also in you. For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for his sake; but bear your share of hardship for the Gospel: with the strength that comes from God.
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 7-8a, 10
R. (3) Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all you lands. Sing to the LORD; bless his name. R.
Announce his salvation, day after day. Tell his glory among the nations; among all peoples, his wondrous deeds. R.
Give to the LORD, you families of nations, give to the LORD glory and praise; give to the LORD the glory due his name! R.
Say among the nations: The LORD is king. He has made the world firm, not to be moved; he governs the peoples with equity. R.
Alleluia: Ps 119:105 R.
Alleluia, alleluia. A lamp to my feet is your word, a light to my path. R. Alleluia, alleluia.
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 labourers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out labourers 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 labourer 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.’”
Commentary
Instead of sending the disciples in pairs, if Jesus had sent one disciple per town, he would have covered 72 locations, rather than, say 36. Why two by two? Perhaps Jesus did so to convey a fundamental Gospel message: Christian faith is to be no solo affair, but a collective act. Christian worship and practice are to be exercised in, with, and through the community.
There is no Christian without community. Today we are celebrating the feast of two saints together—Timothy and Titus. No one works alone for the Gospel. Perhaps it is easier and far more convenient to be a solo Christian, for it is often difficult to work with others, especially when their idiosyncrasies, differences of opinion, and attitudinal problems conflict with ours. Jesus had his frustrating moments with his disciples, but he chose to have them share in his work rather than do it all by himself. For, in painstakingly dealing with such difficult moments in community, we learn to be an authentic Christian community.
How willing are you to exercise your vocational ministry in your family or workplace or in the church in shared mission?
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God, people entrusted themselves to your Son because they saw that he was genuine. Make the ministers of your Word close and available to their people. May they learn from your Son to give themselves without regrets as a piece of bread broken and shared and a cup of gladdening wine passed from hand to hand, together with Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen!
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God, your Son Jesus, has spoken to us here and broken to us the bread of himself. Send us leaders who keep reminding us of his Word of life and hope and of his deeds of saving love. Let these bring us together as a community of service in which your Son is alive as our Lord, for ever and ever. Amen!