Wednesday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time (I)

 Homily (Reflection) for Wednesday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time (I) (22^nd September, 2021) on the Gospel

 

Ezra 9:5-9;

Tob 13:2.4.6-8. (R.v.1);

Lk 9:1-6.

Topic: Call to duty.

In today’s gospel Jesus sent the twelve out with the authority over the unclean spirits. He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money – not even an extra tunic” (Lk 9:3). They should stay in any house where they are welcomed until they leave the place and should shake off the dust on their feet while leaving the place where they are not welcomed. The twelve preached the good news and also cured the diseased.

Considering Jesus’ instruction to the twelve it looks as if God was about to repeat what He did during the Israelites’ journey to the promised land; they spent forty years in the wilderness yet their clothes did not worn out, and their sandals did not worn off their feet; cf. Deut 29:5. He also provided bread, meat, and water for them all through their journey, cf. Ex 15:23-25; 16:4, 10-15, 21, 35; 17:2-6. Otherwise, how could they survive?

In a parallel passage, there is a clue to how Jesus wanted them to survive: labourers deserve their food (Matt 10:10). And in Luke, Jesus sheds more light, “Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the labourer deserves to be paid.... eat what is set before you” (Lk 10:7,8).

Jesus is telling us in today’s gospel that we all have our respective tasks with regard to the spreading of the gospel. The faithful is to provide for their ministers. If ministers of God leave their work in search of bread, bag, money, tunics and so on surely they will find these but not without inflicting serious injuries to the souls they are to pasture. Simply put, souls will be lost. And dearest ministers of God remember Pauline maxim, “If anyone will not work, let him not eat” (2Thess 3:10).

Bible Reading: 2Thess 3:6-15.

Thought for today: You have a role in the spreading of the gospel.

Let us pray: Lord, help every one of us to do our parts in your vineyard so that the gospel will continue to spread to the ends of the earth – Amen.

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