Sister Kate’s “Gospel Question of the Week” (Luke 10: 1-12) …Weekend of 7/6-7 … 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time. For the past few weeks, we have listened to Gospel passages that have told us about a number of people who have come up to Jesus and said, “OK…I want to be one of your followers…what do I have to do?” Jesus has been blunt with them. He has cautioned each person and group to: think about what they are “saying” they want to do, consider what kind of commitment this is going to be for them, make no excuses and be ready to leave everything behind etc. etc. etc. In this weekend’s Gospel, it looks like some of those people (and probably others) have decided to make the break with their every-day life and follow Jesus. This is a big step…as it is for us…any time we decide to make that step! The Gospel says that there were 72 disciples ready to “hit the road for
Jesus.” The words of the Gospel give us a vivid picture…Jesus has them all together, all 72 of them…and He gives them the run down on what to take with them and what to expect! First of all, He tells them that there is abundant work for them to do. Indeed, there is the whole world to convert to the “good news of Jesus.” When most of us start out on a journey, we spend a week packing. We get out the suitcases, the coolers, lay out the clothes on an extra bed, check the maps, etc. etc. etc. Not so for this trip that the disciples were going on. Jesus told them to begin the journey pronto…and to take NOTHING with them…I mean NOTHING! What does all this mean for us? Simply this! WE, just like the early disciples need to “get on the road” of our own lives to continue the preaching mission of the “Good News” of Jesus. Just as Jesus in today’s Gospel gave instructions to the seventy-two missionaries of His day, He also gives each of us a mission to carry out. As faithful and committed Christians, we are tasked with attracting others to Jesus and our faith by living lives of goodness, patience, compassion, and service. It’s our job and our responsibility. We must not miss the current opportunities to be apostles in everyday life by our words and deeds. Unfortunately, we don’t picture Catholics as great evangelizers…going door to door to convert people to our faith. We do, however, picture the Mormons as evangelizers. Jesus calls ALL of us to be evangelizers in today’s Gospel. There is a funny story about two young Mormon missionaries who were going door to door. They knocked on the door of one woman who was not at all happy to see them. The woman told them in no uncertain terms that she did not want to hear their message and slammed the door in their faces. To her surprise, however, the door did not close and, in fact, almost magically bounced back open. She tried again, really putting her back into it and slammed the door again with the same amazing result--the door bounced back open. Convinced that one of the young religious zealots was sticking their
foot in the door, she reared back to give it a third slam. She felt this would really teach them a lesson. But before she could act, one of them stopped her and politely said, "Ma'am, before you do that again, you really should move your cat." GOSPEL QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Are you ready for the journey of being a committed (genuine) Christian?