The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today celebrate knowledge of God through the mission of peace we are urged to practice as disciples of Jesus.
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| Peace to your house |
In the reading from the Second Letter to Timothy we learn of Paul’s loneliness awaiting death in Rome.
* [4:9–13] Demas either abandoned the work of the ministry for worldly affairs or, perhaps, gave up the faith itself (2 Tm 4:10). Luke (2 Tm 4:11) may have accompanied Paul on parts of his second and third missionary journeys (Acts 16:10–12; 20:5–7). Notice the presence of the first personal pronoun “we” in these Acts passages, suggesting to some that Luke (or at least some traveling companion of Paul’s) was the author of Acts. Mark, once rejected by Paul (Acts 13:13; 15:39), is now to render him a great service (2 Tm 4:11); cf. Col 4:10; Phlm 24. For Tychicus, see Eph 6:21; cf. also Acts 20:4; Col 4:7.1
In Psalm 145 God’s mighty acts show forth divine kingship.
* [Psalm 145] A hymn in acrostic form; every verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Acrostic poems usually do not develop ideas but consist rather of loosely connected statements. The singer invites all to praise God (Ps 145:1–3, 21). The “works of God” make God present and invite human praise (Ps 145:4–7); they climax in a confession (Ps 145:8–9). God’s mighty acts show forth divine kingship (Ps 145:10–20), a major theme in the literature of early Judaism and in Christianity.2
The Gospel of Luke details the Mission of the Seventy-two.
* [10:5] First say, ‘Peace to this household’: see notes on Lk 2:14 and Mt 10:13.3
* [2:14] On earth peace to those on whom his favor rests: the peace that results from the Christ event is for those whom God has favored with his grace. This reading is found in the oldest representatives of the Western and Alexandrian text traditions and is the preferred one; the Byzantine text tradition, on the other hand, reads: “on earth peace, good will toward men.” The peace of which Luke’s gospel speaks (Lk 2:14; 7:50; 8:48; 10:5–6; 19:38, 42; 24:36) is more than the absence of war of the pax Augusta; it also includes the security and well-being characteristic of peace in the Old Testament.4
Tom Shanahan, S.J. comments that discipleship then becomes the Gospel’s focus today. Mary, the ultimate disciple of Jesus, Luke himself, and the disciples of Jesus spread out to do the work Jesus invites them to accomplish. These special folks are the models for our contemporary discipleship, each of us is called by our Christian lives to minister to others.
Here’s where we fit in. We, contemporary disciples of Jesus the Christ, have the same ministry as his disciples: to announce the Kingdom of God. We accomplish that task in myriad ways. Each time we exercise love towards others (friend or foe), each call we respond to in faith, every simple kindness offered, our every growth in love, becomes a form and expression of being a disciple of Jesus.
These examples become our joy, not a dreaded duty. God blesses our world through us. We are the conduit of God’s love in our world. What an honor that is!5
Don Schwager quotes “Jesus the Good Shepherd changes wolves into sheep,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).
"How then does [Jesus] command the holy apostles, who are innocent men and 'sheep,' to seek the company of wolves, and go to them of their own will? Is not the danger apparent? Are they not set up as ready prey for their attacks? How can a sheep prevail over a wolf? How can one so peaceful conquer the savageness of beasts of prey? 'Yes,' he says, 'for they all have me as their Shepherd: small and great, people and princes, teachers and students. I will be with you, help you, and deliver you from all evil. I will tame the savage beasts. I will change wolves into sheep, and I will make the persecutors become the helpers of the persecuted. I will make those who wrong my ministers to be sharers in their pious designs. I make and unmake all things, and nothing can resist my will.'" (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 61)6
The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 10:1-9 notes the Evangelist’s second volume, Acts of the Apostles, opens with Jesus’ ascension into heaven. Even though it might seem as if Jesus’ work is over and done with, he continues to act powerfully. His Holy Spirit descends on the disciples, and they become bold preachers and healers (chapter 2). Jesus appears to Paul on the road to Damascus and changes his life (chapter 9). Paul and his fellow missionaries are miraculously saved from harm on numerous occasions. Luke ends his Book of Acts with chapter 28, with Paul awaiting trial in Rome.
But there’s still “Acts 29.” That unwritten chapter is the story of the countless times God has acted over the centuries in the lives of his people. And the story isn’t over. God’s kingdom is here, the place where he dwells—and this kingdom is truly at hand!7
Friar Jude Winkler fleshes out Paul as physician, Gentile Christian, and sophisticated author. Luke describes 72 as sent. This mirrors the number of elders in the camp of Moses. Friar Jude reminds us that trust in Providence leads to experiencing God with us in our difficulties.
The Franciscan Media reflection on the Gospel of Luke explains that Luke wrote as a Gentile for Gentile Christians. His Gospel and Acts of the Apostles reveal his expertise in classic Greek style as well as his knowledge of Jewish sources. There is a warmth to Luke’s writing that sets it apart from that of the other synoptic Gospels, and yet it beautifully complements those works. The treasure of the Scriptures is a true gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church.
Luke’s unique character may best be seen by the emphases of his Gospel, which has been given a number of subtitles:1) The Gospel of Mercy2) The Gospel of Universal Salvation3) The Gospel of the Poor4) The Gospel of Absolute Renunciation5) The Gospel of Prayer and the Holy Spirit6) The Gospel of Joy8
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, shares that one of the gifts of Native traditions is their openness to wisdom from many avenues beyond rational thought—community, ancestors, dance, drumming, nature, and symbols that speak deeply to the unconscious. He invites us to consider the experience of Kent Nerburn from his book “Voices in the Stones: Life Lessons from the Native Way.”
We are quick to draw lines where our awareness stops. Our streets, our alleyways, our history on the land—these form boundaries enough for us.
But there are truths that lie beneath our consciousness, just as there are truths that lie beneath our feet. That we do not know them does not mean that they do not exist, only that we do not have the patience and humility to hear… The bones of these girls and the forgotten thousands of people who walked on these lands before us and gave their bodies and spirits to this soil speak with that same voice. We hear it, if we hear it at all, with a sense that lies far below our conscious awareness.9
Our experience of God, present in Word, action, and people, is the truth we share to be disciples sharing the Peace of Christ.
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