The seventy-two disciples returned rejoicing and said to Jesus, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.” Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky. 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. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.
”At that very moment he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”
Turning to the disciples in private he said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”
REFLECTION
do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.
In todays' Gospel we are invited to rejoice, not primarily because of what we accomplish for God, but because we belong to God.
Sometimes that can be hard as we get caught up with numbers, finances, successful retreats or conferences. After all our work, then come the plaudits and our own sense of satisfaction. We can become excited about what we accomplish—our ministries, our prayers, successful events, people we help, or the good we believe God is doing through us.
We may sometimes judge our spiritual life by visible results: Was the retreat successful? Did many people attend? Did our ministry grow? Did someone change because of something we said or did?
These things are blessings, but they are not the deepest reason for our joy. It is our relationship with Him and not about our success.
So Jesus reminds us and redirects our joy: “Do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
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