Along the way to Jerusalem, the Lord sends out a second group, the Seventy-two, to prepare the way for Him as He advances towards His goal. They are to go those places where He will visit, bringing peace and proclaiming the nearness of God's reign. The seventy-two is a type of the missionary Church sent forth to evangelize.
Read the following articles and use the rest of this page as your guide for reflection:
- The Christian Mission (Luke 10:1-24)
- The Mission of the Seventy-two
- Ang Pitumpu't Dalawa (Lukas 10:1-20)
1. The "Lord" sends out another seventy-two. He already had the Twelve, now there is a new group whom He designates to go to those places where He "is about to visit." The seventy-two anticipates the mission to the Gentiles as this will materialize in the Acts of the Apostles, a type of the members of the Church -- whether priests, religious or laity -- working in the missions.
Reflect: The whole Church is missionary by nature, sent by the Son just as the Father has sent Him. This missionary sending is echoed at the end of the Mass when the priest says: "Ite missa est", Go, the Church has been sent!. How do you live out this mission to proclaim the Good News?
2. The first thing that the Lord tells the seventy-two is to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send forth other workers. Thus the first act of the missionary is let the Lord into his work.
Reflect: Even the fruits of the mission is also the result of the death and resurrection of the Lord. The Lord (Jesus) is the Lord of the Harvest, just as He is the Lord of the catch (Luke 5:1-11). Do you pray for the success of the missions? Does your community of faith pray that more and more of its members would participate in the mission of the Church?
3. The missionaries experience the power of the Resurrection as they see the demons taking flight wherever they advance. The victory has been that of Christ; if they are to rejoice, it is not because of their achievement but because they have been numbered among those who will live in God's presence.
Reflect: The advancement of the Christian missions is the fruit of the work of Christ on the cross, in His passion, death and resurrection. Our victories have been forged beforehand by the blood of Christ. How do you understand your missionary obligation within the context of your own baptismal life?
