26th Week in Ordinary Time
05th October 2023 (Thursday) Readings and Reflection
Psalter: Week 2
Reading of the Day
First Reading: Nehemiah 8:1-4a, 5-6, 7b-12
In those days: All the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel. So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. The Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the meaning, so that the people understood the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. Then he said to them, “Go on your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” And all the people went on their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.
Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11 (R. 9ab)
R/. The precepts of the Lord are right; they gladden the heart.
Alleluia
V/. Alleluia R/. Alleluia
V/. The kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the Gospel.
R/. Alleluia
Gospel : Luke 10:1-12
At that time: The Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the labourer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
Daily Gospel Reflection
Highlight: Charged for Mission!
Guidlines: We are on a mission and that is the very same mission of the Lord. In carrying out this mission, he is always with us to sustain us and guide us{alertSuccess}
1. In the first place, we need to remember that we all received a mission. Therefore, life is duty-bound and must be mission-directed. If so, a life which is not dutiful and missionary, a life which is careless and negligent to duties in life, a life which is not driven by a sense of mission but is purposeless and directionless, is a failure in its very nature and meaning.
2. Our life is a mission with a destiny. The Lord himself appoints us and sends us on duty. This missionary duty is to establish the kingdom of God. This is like cultivating a field and reaping the harvest.
3. That is why, Jesus uses the metaphor of harvest as he says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few”. We are the labourers who have to toil in the field. This would constantly keep us as committed and assiduous labourers.
4. This mission is not anyone’s self-creation or private agenda. It is the mission of the Lord himself. Our mission is nothing but a sharing in his very mission, a continuation of the same. This is to spread God’s kingdom by bearing abundant fruits of the harvest. This will guard us against our privatizing or monopolizing the God-given mission.
5. This mission is challenging and tough because we will be like lambs among wolves. The world is like the free zone of a lot of wolves, always ready to pounce and harm. There are many evil forces and false values that tempt us and torment us. No doubt we need to face a lot of opposition and persecution.
6. Jesus never assured a smooth mission without adversities. He never promised his disciples all success always. In fact, he already warns them of the possible resistance and rejection and prepares them to accept such unsuccessful situations without getting upset. It is enough that they do their duty with utmost dedication and perseverance.
7. But there is nothing to worry about because the Lord himself is with us. He accompanies and sustains us unceasingly. His own power will equip us to preach and to heal. The words of Nehemiah in the first reading from Nehemiah are truly the guiding and strengthening lines in their lives: “Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength”.
8. Consequently, there is no need at all to depend on worldly securities like “purse, bag or sandals”. It is not that we do not make use of the available resources that can help us in our mission.
9. It only means that we should not give excessive importance to material resources or securities, as if the whole mission depends only on them. We should not be overdependent on them. Our primary resourcefulness and equipment is God’s own Spirit.
Practice: As disciples of Christ, we share his life and mission as well. Therefore, we are constantly urged to live as authentic disciples and work as effective apostles, equipped with his own power{alertSuccess}