Jesus appointed seventy-two other disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another. Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.’ Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, ‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.’ Yet know this: the Kingdom of God is at hand. I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town.”
REFLECTION
I know that my Vindicator lives (Job 19:25)
The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few (Luke 10:2)
In today's reading Job, in spite of all his troubles, still says, "I know that my Vindicator lives". He had faith in darkness. Almost everything had been taken from him: his family, possessions, his health and understanding of his friends. He does not say he understands, but only that he knows his Redeemer lives.
Faith does not always mean understanding what God is doing. In fact for some, faith simply means trusting that God is still present when we cannot see Him.
In today's Gospel, Jesus sends his seventy-two disciples to labor for Him. He sent them with no sandals, no bags, no money belts. They were like lambs among wolves, and therefore, were to be solely dependent on God.
St Thérèse toward the end of her short life experienced tremendous physical suffering from tuberculosis and an intense spiritual darkness. She could no longer feel the consolation of God's presence as she once had. However, she had profound trust and love in God and continued to pray for missionaries and offered her daily sacrifices for souls.
Many times I feel like Job and St Therese. I might not understand why things happen. At times whether praying, daily Mass, Adoration, working in service for God, I can still experience spiritual darkness. My faith, however, continues to say, "I know that my Vindicator lives." And so I continue loving, praying, serving, trusting that God will take care of me.
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