26th January, Tuesday
I. 2 Tim 1:1-8
II. Lk 10:1-9
Theme: “Mission: The work of the Lord”
On the memorial of Sts. Timothy and Titus church presents us the mission of the seventy from the Gospel of Luke. It is only in Luke’s gospel that we find this reading of Jesus sending out a large group of seventy-two and while doing so calling on them to ask the Lord of the harvest to send out more labourers into the harvest. For the lord knew that the church which he will establish would have a greater mission which requires lot more labourers. The harvest is great and varied; the more labourers the better the harvest. This is a very important message for the church in our own times, More and more people especially the chosen ones are needed to take responsibility for the life of the church and for the work of the Lord.
While sending the seventy-two, Jesus also draws attention to the difficulties they will face. He foretells that some towns will not make them feel welcome. Yet, Jesus emphasizes that whether people make them welcome or not the disciples are to proclaim, ‘the kingdom of God is very near to you’. The Lord is very near whether he is welcomed or not. The Lord is present whether he is received or not. The Lord continues to work in and through those who are ready to be his labourers, whether or not that work is appreciated. We are constantly confronted by the presence of God’s kingdom and God rules in and through his Son; we cannot escape from that reality. The only question is how are we responding to that reality. Ultimately mission is not the work of human beings rather it is the work of the Lord.
Bro. Anthony Peter SMM
II BTh