Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus calls us to go out into the world as lambs among the wolves. We can confide in Him, as He leads us to pastures where we can forever rejoice.

Gospel according to Luke 10:1-12, 17-20

The Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every known town and place where he intended to go. He said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore, ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. ‘Whenever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ And if someone of peace is there, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves his wage. Do not move about from house to house. ‘Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the dick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ ‘But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that town.’ The seventy returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!’ Jesus said to them, “I watched Satan fell from heaven like a flash of lightning. See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. Neverthelss, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your name is written in heaven.’

Reflections

Ever had to prepare for a trip abroad? If such travel is to go smoothly and according to plan, it helps to have a clear mission, a reason, an idea of the scope and the goals and objectives. Instruction is needed on what to bring and what to leave behind, along with some guidance about what to expect, and how to handle possible obstacles. It helps to get advice from someone who has already been to that location, or is familiar with the place, to get an idea of what to expect and how to prepare, to get the most of that trip. The rewards, the experience, or achieving a goal, accomplishing a task, make a journey, even if it is long or possibly strenuous, worthwhile.

Embarking on a precarious journey to previously unknown places, where one will encounter a lot of people and obstacles, makes planning ahead especially important. Last year, when we went on a pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, and Mount Saint Michel, in France, with our family of seven, we prepared and printed an itinerary showing all the locations where we will stop and stay over the span of several days. We Googled the places we will visit and the interior of the accommodation we reserved. We packed our bags with utmost care and checked their weight. We anticipated the weather to be hot, but we also packed for some rainy days. Thanks to this meticulous planning, we were able to travel to Europe and return with amazing memories that will stay with us for the rest of our lives.      

In today’s Gospel, Jesus sends his followers on a trip. This is not a joy ride, or a holiday, but it is about bringing the Word of God to the people of Israel: Jesus appoints and commissions, seventy other apostles, nearly six times the original twelve disciples. Their numbers add up to seventy plus twelve, eighty-two. Given that the eighty-two were sent in pairs, they could reach at least forty-one distinct locations. According to Josephus, there were about 204 cities and villages in Galilee in Jesus time, “…the smallest of which numbered 15,000 inhabitants.” (1) Therefore, it is not likely that the disciples could reach them all. Jesus states that he is sending them ahead of him, meaning that these apostles are his messengers, just like John the Baptist was sent before Jesus, hey are being sent as missionaries to proclaim God’s Word. This is very similar to the work of the Church today.  (2) 

Jesus defines the purpose of the mission when he says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few….” (Luke 10:2). The image of the harvest in the Scriptures alludes to the last judgement, where the good seed will be brought into the granaries and saved, and the chaff will be destroyed. The harvest is “a powerful metaphor to teach us about the mystery of the Kingdom of God, the acceptance of God’s word, the mission of the Church, and the fruits of righteous living and final judgement” (3) Jesus gives a commandment to gather the people of Israel and to save souls. Beyond that, to pray “to the Lord of the harvest,” to God, to send more workers who will tend to the spiritual needs of the people (Luke 10:2). Therefore, the first objective of the apostles is to pray for their mission to be successful.

The location of the travel is specified as amidst the people of Israel, among whom the disciples are described as “lambs” in the midst of “wolves” (Luke 10:3).  The contrast between the “lamb” and the “wolf” is one of prey and predator. This experience of “…all the time in the condition of constant danger and exposed to risks at every moment of their lives” is a reminder of helplessness before the wolves without the shepherd. (4) Jesus is sending his beloved, who have been trained in his ways, on a difficult mission into the world, among people who are harsh, greedy, and intolerant because they let their ways be swayed by evil. Jesus does not hide away the difficulty, he points it out clearly: “You are going two by twos amongst the enemy,” the enemy being the words and actions of people with a hardened heart. Therefore, implies Jesus, you cannot go without facing dangers, and you cannot face them trusting in your own strength. The only way to go on this mission is by trusting God.  

Jesus does not equip the apostles with things that they need to carry with them, but the opposite, he advises them to let go of anything that can be a burden: “Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals” (Luke 10:4), these items can slow you down physically.  And “…do not greet anyone on the road” (Luke 10:4), which can be emotionally draining. This means, go prayerfully, and be entirely focused on the mission. Act with a sense of duty, and do not spend time on small talk or idle your time away. Therefore, the second objective is to focus on the purpose.

About where to stay, and how to behave, what to do and what not to do, Jesus says to always go in good faith and greet the inhabitants with the words, “Peace to this house!” (Luke 10:5). This means, project the peace and hope placed in God and gather those who are willing to listen to the God’s Word. If in a place there are peaceful people to be found who will listen, the apostles are to stay there as their base. They are to accept with grace everything that they offered to eat and to drink as a sign of hospitality, and according to a just agreement with the household. They should respect the household by not moving from house to house or asking for more. In response to the hospitality, the apostles are to proclaim the Good News with words “the Kingdom of God has come near to you,” and by deeds, “healing the sick” (Luke 10:9). This would be the case when their reception would be friendly.

Jesus prepares the disciples for rejections. If there is no hospitality shown to them, which can be seen when their feet are dirty because no one has offered to wash them according to the rules of hospitality, they are to shake off the dirt and move on to another city. They are not to curse, or express dislike or disillusionment, they are simply to leave judgement up top God on the last day (Luke 10:10). This would be the case if they were met with refusal.

In the next passage, Jesus refers to an eschatological vision (a vision of the end-times) of the fall of the wicked, which He repeats two times, one before the disciples leave, and once when they return and praise God for the wonders He has done through them: “’I watched Satan fell from heaven like a flash of lightning. See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you.’” (Luke 10:18-19).  This reference envisions the Church as instrumental in God’s plan for the salvation of the world. The “enemy” are the forces of evil that will conspire like ‘snakes’ and “scorpions” with lethal force against the elect, but they will not prevail. The promise of Jesus is that through Him, and the power that He gives to members of the Church, evil will be permanently defeated. The joy of the disciples is an allusion to the final victory that is not their own merit but that of God’s. Their objective is to collaborate with God’s plan of salvation. 

Upon closer examination, the objectives outlined by Jesus, such as (1) praying for the success of the mission, (2) accomplishing the mission with diligence, and (3) working in collaboration with God’s plan of salvation, requires activation in three areas: (1) prayer, which is a spiritual act of uniting one’s will with that of God’s will; (2) words, which is proclamation of the Good News; and (3) actions, which is healing the sick. These objectives translate into the three-fold task of modern-day missionaries: peaceful prayer, words of hope, and actions of kindness. 

The Good News of today is that we have an invitation: God is inviting us to participate in the harvest. “We are participants and collaborators on the growth of the of the Kingdom when we spread God’s word and carry out the works of love and mercy that Jesus initiated in his ministry...through our words, attitudes, and actions” (3) However, to participate in the harvest, Jesus calls us too to go out into the world as lambs among the wolves. (4) Needless to say, “The wolves will not be able to succeed,” said Pope Francis, for even if they kill you, your heart may remain faithful to the Lord.” (5) Continuing the explanation, Pope Francis says, “…This is the way of the missionary Church—this is the way the word of God should be proclaimed…great missionaries do not proclaim the word of God as their own, but with the courage and frankness that comes from God…. They do not feel great, they pray. Indeed, the great heralds who have sowed and have helped the Church grow; they were humble people of prayer…” (5) Pope Francis concludes his thoughts with the image of the humble servant: “Jesus himself tells us, ‘when you have done all of this, you say: I am an unworthy servant’…The true preacher feels unworthy because he feels it is the strength of God’s Word which brings forth God’s Kingdom.’” (5)  

In the celebration of the Eucharist, we encounter Him, the Lamb of God, the Good Shepherd, who always walks with his flock. By facing dangers and taking risks out of love for Him, he promises that we will learn how to depend on Him with confidence and desire to return to Him, and remain close to Him, because He gently leads with His example—He leads to pastures where we can forever rejoice. 

Parents can confirm that on long trips, small children invariably ask, “Are we there yet?” The answer to this question is invariably “Not yet.”  On any journey, just like on the journey of life, knowing the distance to the destination helps to know that we are “en-route;” we are on the way.  

Resources

1. Bible History (2025). Galilee in the Time of Jesus. Retrieved from: www.bible-history.com. Accessed: July 4, 2025.
2. Kazlas, L. (2019). The Harvest is Abundant, but the Laborers are Few. A Catholic Moment. Retrieved from: acatholic.org. Accessed: July 3, 2025.
3. Schuerman, J. T. (2022). God Calls Us to Participate in the Harvest. Catholic Herald. Retrieved from: www.catholic herald.org. Accessed: July 3, 2025.
4. Moneme, N. (2013). Being Lambs in the Midst of Wolves. Catholic Exchange. Retrieved from: catholicexchange.com. Accessed: July 3, 2025.
5. Pope Francis (2017). Lambs among wolves. Morning Meditation in the Chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae. Tuesday, 14 February 2017. Retrieved from: www.vatican.va Accessed: July 3, 2025.