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Saturday, October 01, 2005 Meditation Luke 10:17-24 What a joyful tone this reading has! Jesus had sent out seventy-two of his followers to preach and teach and heal and deliver, and they returned with glowing reports of success. Just think: Jesus had entrusted these relatively unknown men and women with the same work of the kingdom that he had given to the twelve apostles. Imagine the confidence he must have had in them. What do we make of this? That Jesus doesn’t want to limit the work of the gospel to just a chosen few. Jesus is confident in each one of us. We are all called, empowered, and expected to bring people to him. So none of us should feel inadequate or too fearful. All we have to remember is that it is not so much what we do, but what we allow the Spirit to do through us. Often it only takes a simple gesture to begin to reach out. Start small and let the Spirit build your confidence. Intercede for someone you know. Try to perform two or three extra acts of kindness a day, and see what opportunities for evangelism these open up. Who knows? Maybe you will make a positive, eternal difference in someone’s life. Saints like Thérèse of Lisieux remind us that no matter what our situation in life, we can bring people to Jesus. A young cloistered nun who spent her last years bedridden, St. Thérèse was named patroness of missions because her prayers and spiritual writings circulated the globe even when she couldn’t. Simply because she was open to the Spirit, she has touched thousands of hearts with the love of God. So listen as she urges all of us: “Let us work together for the salvation of souls. We have only the day of this life to save souls and to give them to the Lord as proofs of our love.” “Lord Jesus, I want to join you in bringing in the harvest. May your Holy Spirit encourage and empower me to spread your message of love and salvation. Lord, you have brought me so much joy—let me not hesitate to bring that joy to others!” Baruch 4:5-12,27-29; Psalm 69:33-37 |
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