XIV SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
“GO ON YOUR WAY”
By our Pastor, Fr. Carmelo Jiménez
Last Sunday’s readings invited us to reflect on God’s call, and for this XIV Sunday in Ordinary Time, the readings lead us to reflect on the mission to evangelize. Last week I mentioned that the Gospel of Luke describes these stories during the journey of Jesus and his disciples toward Jerusalem.
The prophet Isaiah is characterized as the prophet of consolation. The first reading says: “Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad because of her, all you who love her; exult, exult with her, all you who were mourning over her!” (Is 66: 10). The Sacred Scripture reveals God as joyful and He wants to share his joy with men. Throughout the Bible, again and again joy appears as a characteristic for God’s interventions. Today’s reading invites us, all men and women of all times, to focus well on the reason for our joy. The best joy comes from God’s interventions in our lives, which is a permanent and authentic joy.
In the second reading, in order to understand the words of the apostle Paul, I will explain that the custom of the Romans was to go out to welcome the generals who returned victorious from their military campaigns. They entered Rome through the Roman Forum where a crowd of citizens were led by the emperor. The victorious general was preceded by the triumphal trophies that were gained in his victory. The trophies were valuable garments from their enemies that they brought with them as signs of victory. Therefore St. Paul says, “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Gal 6:14). So, for Paul the trophy of victory is the cross of Jesus, the cross looks like a cause of scandal and a stumbling block for many. I can say that Paul has so identified with Christ, Paul sees with the eyes of Christ, Paul’s thoughts are those of Christ, his actions are those of Christ, his motivations are those of Christ. Therefore St. Paul became an exemplary model of true discipleship.
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way.” (Lk 10: 2-3a) Jesus has chosen the way of itinerancy to spread the Gospel of the Kingdom. The disciples were invited to imitate their Master in his gestures, in his lifestyle and in his words and they had to learn the same kind of life. So they were sent quickly to get practice and a sense of security about the mission that awaited them. In Jesus’ time, it was the disciple who chose the teacher, but Christ himself called his disciples. He does not require them to study the law, but that they follow him, being open to poverty and suffering, in the same way as He himself announced the coming of God’s Kingdom. Jesus said those who evangelize should have full trust in Divine Providence. They should be devoted to the Kingdom of God, because the rest shall be added by God. The evangelist, apostle or disciple must never demand anything, nor fall into the temptation of prestige and power.
Evangelism is the proclamation of the Good News, which should be done with a simple, clean and charitable style. Trusting that the strength and effectiveness of the Gospel lies in itself. Once announced the word itself carries sufficient energy to transform the world and men. The instruments of evangelization, each person who evangelizes, should point people’s attention to the Master, to Jesus, because He is the only Savior.
Pray Brothers and Sisters, to feel called by God to faith, holiness and love, to be disciples of Christ. As his disciples, we convey the love and announce the word of God to our brothers and sisters, who do not know God nor Christ. And we can transmit Christ to them. Amen.