The Mission of the Seventy-two
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Lk 10:1-9
1The Lord appointed seventy[-two] others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. 2He
said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask
the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. 3Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. 4Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. 5Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ 6If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. 7Stay
in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the
laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to
another. 8Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, 9cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’ ”
Reflection:
Seventy[-two]
others. Important Alexandrian and Caesarean texts read “seventy,” while
other important
Alexandrian and Western readings have “seventy-two.”
Seventy is a number of fullness or completeness during ancient times.
Moses chose seventy elders to help him in the task of leading the people
through the desert. The Sanhedrin, the governing council for the Jews,
was composed of seventy members. In Jesus’ time seventy was held to be
the number of nations in the world.
Aside
from the Twelve, Jesus commissions the seventy[-two] disciples to be
his advance party in preaching the good news by word, action, and
example. They are in pairs as valid Jewish witnesses to the truth of his
message, as mutual support, and as image of the communitarian dimension
of the Gospel. They must be “like lambs,” that is, without guile,
simple, men of peace. They must travel light, not be attached to
material things, and not be distracted by other people. They must rely
on divine providence and Jewish hospitality. They must not choose
comfortable lodgings and not be choosy with food and drink served to
them. In short, they must resemble Jesus, their Lord and sender.
Do you help in the missionary thrust
of the local Church?
Do you contribute to the support of the missions?
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