WE TOO HAVE BEEN SENT FORTH

Homily for the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Fr. Ugochukwu Ugwoke, ISch

Scriptural Texts: Isaiah 66:10-14, Galatians 6:10-14, Luke 10:1-12. 17-20

 

In the gospel reading of last Sunday, we read about the call to discipleship and the demands of discipleship (Luke 9:51-62). With the account out of the sending out of the seventy-two disciples, today’s gospel reading goes on to show us how those who are called to discipleship are to conduct themselves on the course of their missionary activities (Luke 10:1-12. 17-20).

Before the sending out of the seventy-two, Luke had already given an account of Jesus sending the Twelve on a mission (Luke 9:1-6). We find a structural resemblance in the sending out of the Twelve and the seventy-two with parallels in Mark 6:7-13 and Matthew 10:5-16. The Twelve which is symbolic of the twelve tribes of Israel were sent only to the house of Israel. The seventy-two represents all the nations including the Gentiles. Their mission was not simply to the people of Israel but they were sent to every town and place where Jesus was to go (Luke 10:1). The mission of the seventy-two is a prefiguration of the Church’s wider and all-embracing mission to all the nations.

In sending out the seventy-two, Jesus gave them strict instructions and stressed two important mission points. First, they were to go forth unarmed and light. They were not to burden themselves with useless baggage, nor were they to be preoccupied with ways and means of livelihood like food and shelter (Luke 10:4-8). The mission requires haste and single-mindedness. As such, they were to focus on preaching the message of God’s kingdom and making it real through healing and blessing (Luke 10:9). Second, they were sent out like lambs among wolves. By this, Jesus wanted them to know that they would meet with resistance, opposition, and hostilities. There are those who would accept their message but there are others who would reject it (Luke 10:10-16). But in the midst of all the resistance, opposition and hostilities, Jesus reminded them not to be discouraged because evil had already been defeated and the victory of the kingdom of God is assured. They must go forth under the banner of Jesus (Luke 10:16) and proclaim the message of peace.

In our own time, all of us by virtue of our baptism have also been sent forth like the seventy-two disciples. We are now the body, feet, mouth, hands, and eyes of Jesus in the world. Like the seventy-two, we too are to go ahead of Jesus, bringing his message wherever we go. Jesus warned the disciples to expect opposition and hostility, and it is the same today. In our time, many Christians are being persecuted for their faith. Nigeria for instance has become the killing field of Christians. It is in view of a situation like this that the way and manner in which the seventy-two were sent out becomes very relevant. They were sent out two by two, in pairs for safety, mutual help and encouragement. We need each other’s support and encouragement as we carry out the mission of Jesus Christ especially in these trying times.