Today’s Gospel:  Luke 10:1-12

REFLECTION
In today’s Gospel, Jesus seems to be saying that one dispensation was ending and another was beginning. As God had appointed the 12 patriarchs to be the leaders of His earthly people, so now the Son of God was instituting a new era: He was replacing the old leaders with His own appointed men.

This then was the burden of the commission: these men were to go forth with a message demanding new responsibilities of the people to whom they were to preach. It would no longer be sufficient for men to affirm they kept the law: much more was now being demanded by Christ. Nothing has been said about the identity of the new band of workers except that they were “other” than the original 12. There were men who, having responded to the claims of Christ, had lost their employment.  What would have happened to these men? That the 70 were sent forth in couples exhibits true wisdom. The road ahead would be rough; sometimes the reception would be chilling. Ecclesiastes 4:9 states, “Two are better than one,” and obviously the Lord believed the statement.

It should be remembered the countryside of Galilee had been well traversed by the disciple band; the people had received every chance to hear the Gospel and see the Savior. Now, the Lord planned to proceed to Jerusalem, and the time for the additional training of His servants was limited. Between His present location and Jerusalem were many villages. The area of the Trans-Jordan included many small places where the Good News had not been announced, and knowing this, the Lord intensified His efforts to reach the unreached. He intended to visit these places, and knowing the value of adequate preparation, commissioned the new preachers to go ahead in His name.

Today’s Reading:  Job 9:1-12, 14-16

PRAYER
Lord, as you sent the 70, send us also.  And we don’t have to look far, for close to us are people who need to have a share of your love.  There send us.  In Jesus’ Name we pray.  Amen.