14th Sunday in Ordinary Time: July 06, 2025
Readings: Isaiah 66:10-14; Psalm 66:1-7, 16, 20; Galatians 6:14-18; Luke 10:1-12, 17-20
What is it like listening to a master and then the master asks the disciples to follow in his footsteps, including doing those unimaginable things like healing the sick and driving out the demons? Listening to the master means following what the master does. This is called true discipleship. For this, the disciples need a deep faith and a strong conviction. In fact, the disciple has to learn more from the master and unlearn what is not necessary, in order to possess the content and connection of the master. This is the experience of the disciples of Jesus when they were sent on a mission of preaching and healing. The liturgical readings of this Sunday are not only rich in content but also beautiful and tell us how God is nursing and caring for us through the Prophet Isaiah. And St Paul finds his abundance and fullness only in Christ Jesus of Nazareth. His radical love for Jesus is truly transformative and motivating for all of us who profess Christ as our Lord and Master.
1. Being moved to transform the world
In Luke 10:1-12, 17-20, Jesus sends out seventy-two of his disciples ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place he himself intended to go. It’s not just a logistical move—it's a deeply spiritual commissioning. These disciples are not simply messengers; they are the torchbearers of Christ’s peace, his patience, his perseverance, his presence, and his power. They go out with nothing but trust and obedience, called to rely not on earthly resources or managerial plans, but on the hospitality of strangers and the movement of God. They have to listen to God alone.
This passage sends us a strong message that being a Christian is not about simply believing the right things or doing the right things or saying the right prayers. It is about being sent; being sent in the world of wolves and vultures, the world of sin and wickedness. It is about living what we profess in the midst of trials and temptations, suffering and sorrow. The Gospel is not just something to be treasured privately; it is something to be shared boldly, gently, and joyfully in the everyday life of thorns and thistles.
2. Peace and joy for those who work for the Kingdom of God
Jesus tells the disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few.” He is not speaking only about preachers and missionaries. He is speaking to all of us. In every family, in every workplace, in every factory or farmland or neighbourhood, there is a harvest waiting—people waiting to be touched by kindness, truth, mercy, compassion and peace. The question is not whether God is calling us. The question is whether we are listening. Whether we are ready to embark on a journey, which Christ calls us to take.
In verses Luke 10: 17-20, the disciples return rejoicing, marvelling that even demons submitted to them in Jesus' name. But Jesus redirects their joy—not toward what they could do, but toward who they are: “Rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” In other words, don’t build your identity around success, power, or spiritual experiences. Build it on your relationship with God. That is the deepest source of joy: not what we do for God, but who we are to God. It is more of being than doing. In fact, Jesus is telling his disciples that those who do good and listen to the voice of God have a place in heaven, a place in the heart of God.
3. Enormity of God's love in a world of wickedness
Writing to the Galatians 6:14-18, St Paul tells us that he finds meaning only in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. St Paul's inseparable bond with the person of Jesus Christ is indestructible. Only in Jesus, St Paul boasts of peace and mercy. In other words, St Paul has experienced the tremendous care and love of God. Perhaps what Prophet Isaiah 66:10-14 says about the incorruptible love that has been poured into his people has been experienced by St Paul. God is always with us like a river spreading its prosperity around it or like a mother who nurses her child with abundant milk. It's incredibly so lovely to hear such words today as we see so many man-made tragedies affecting our lives, including bombs and bulldozers in war-torn places.
So many of us profess faith with our lips, yet hesitate to live it fully. We say we believe in peace, but struggle to forgive. We speak of love, but often act from fear. We talk about grace, but are quick to judge. The liturgical readings of this Sunday call us not only to be hearers, but doers—those who practice the peace we preach, those who go where we are sent, those who return not proud of our deeds but grateful for God's love. And may we rejoice—not in power or prestige—but in knowing that our names are written in heaven.
Questions for self-reflection:
- Where is God sending me today—to bring healing, peace, truth, or simply a listening heart?
- Do I truly live what I say I believe?
- Do I find my joy not in outcomes, but in my identity as God’s beloved?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You have called me, chosen me, and sent me—just as you sent your disciples long ago. Give me the courage to live what I profess, to bring peace where there is conflict, hope where there is despair, and love where there is fear. Teach me to rely not on my own strength, but on your Spirit moving through me. Help me to listen deeply, speak truthfully, and act with compassion. And above all, remind me that my greatest joy is not in what I do, but in who I am in You—your beloved disciple, whose name is written in heaven. I make this prayer in Jesus' Holy Name, Amen.
- Olvin Veigas, SJ
02 July 2025
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