Readings: Isaiah 66:10-14; Gal. 6:14-18; Lk. 10:1-12, 17-20
The Kingdom of God is at Hand
1. Jesus said to the 72 on their return from the mission, “Behold, I have given you the power to tread upon serpents and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy, and nothing will harm you.”(Lk. 10:20). He reminded them that the power to succeed was given to them from above. They should rejoice not because of their accomplishments but because it pleased the Father to count them among his chosen ones. Whoever we are and whatever we have archived is a gift from God. Jesus, therefore, reminds us that we are called to share his power. He entrusted us the power to give peace to the world, “Into whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this household.’” (Lk.10:8). Amid woes and uncertainties, Christ empowers us to bring peace, harmony, sympathy, and empathy to the world. We have the power to bring goodness to the world, offer forgiveness to our enemies, bring the bread of life to the weak, food to the hungry, words of consolation to the weary, and healing to the sick.
2. We are so empowered, and yet we feel so powerless. How can we be entrusted with so much while we feel so helpless? We are easily intimidated by the known and unknown forces around us because we do not know and find it challenging to recognize our power. Do we doubt the source of our energy? The Sacrament of Baptism empowers us to become God's children and his ambassadors. The Holy Eucharist empowers us to feed the hungry with the bread of life. The Sacrament of Confirmation confers on us the right to be God's messengers of truth and defenders of the faith to the point of shedding our blood. In the Sacrament of Penance, we are given the power to share in the forgiving power of God, to acknowledge our sins, confess them and receive God's mercy and forgiveness. “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.” (Jn. 20:23). The Sacrament of Holy Orders confers on the ministerial priesthood the power to change ordinary bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. Through the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, couples are empowered and invited to taste the union and bliss of the Blessed Trinity and bring forth a family of love, justice, and peace. Finally, the Sacrament of the Sick prepares us to have a recovery and wholistic healing from sickness or be admitted into the presence of God our Father to behold his beatific vision. “Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.” (James 5:14-15). We have the power to preach the Word, “Even the devils are subject to us because of your name.” (Lk. 10:17). There is power in the name of Jesus.
3. The power Christ gives us is not military power wrought by the brute force of a gun. It is not political power achieved through campaigns and demagoguery, lies, and false promises to garner votes and be elected to office. It is not the power of dominance or divide-and-rule strategy seeking to dominate and suppress our collective will but the power of love, humility, and service. It is the power that embraces poverty for the sake of the kingdom. Missionary disciples must give-up worldly things in pursuit of the kingdom of God. “Behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way.” (Lk. 10:3). The power that Christ gives us does not tolerate delays and encumbrances with material acquisitions. Material things are hindrances to the spread of the Gospel. To be empowered by the Spirit of Christ means dying to self to become a new creature. (Gal. 6:15). Our power, so to speak, comes from the freedom of the Spirit in union with Christ. By dying to ourselves, we can fight our demons, conquer the desire for power, and fight our personal enemies like greed, ambition, envy, anger, and pride. We have the promise of Jesus to accomplish this: “I have given you the power to tread underfoot serpents and scorpions and the whole strength of the enemy.” (Lk.10:19-20). We must not be afraid to use the power given us by Christ to dominate the kingdom of Satan.
4. On their return, the disciples were delighted at their success. Still, Jesus counsels them to rejoice rather that their names were written in heaven. Celebrating our successes is indicative of personal glory and achievements. Even Jesus tells us, “By myself I can do nothing…” (Jn. 5:30), and Paul, writing to Timothy, reminds him, “I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me.” (Philippians 4:13). The first reading encourages us to rejoice because of God's actions in and through us. May we respond to Christ's call to build the kingdom of peace and justice, for “The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” (Lk.4:18-19). This is our mission. And so, we rejoice and celebrate because “He considered me trustworthy in appointing me to the ministry.” (I Tim. 1:12). Let us “Shout joyfully to God, all the earth, sing praise to the glory of his name; proclaim his glorious praise. Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds!”” (Psalm 66).
Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP
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