Sunday Readings: Isaiah 66.10-14; Galatians 6.14-18; Luke 10.1-9
“Whatever house you enter, say first, ‘Peace to this house.'”
(Luke 10.5)
In Sunday’s gospel Jesus sends out 72 missionaries to announce the kingdom of God is at hand. A missionary is someone who is sent to bring a message. The word to send in Greek is apostlein, from which we get the word apostle, missionary. Only Luke describes the 72 sent off in pairs to travel with little but their message and instructions to stay with people who reciprocate their greeting of peace, the same peace the angels announce at Jesus’ birth.
In this passage Luke double exposes the Church’s mission on Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem. Only Luke finds the story of the Church inseparable from the story of Jesus’ ministry and inaugurates the mission of bringing God’s healing nearness to the nations and through this mission to us.
On the Fourth of July Americans rise together to honor the flag in parades down our streets. On most other days, especially in an election year, we struggle to forge the vision the day celebrates. We disagree about immigrants and whose lives matter. Perhaps we don’t talk religion or politics to keep peace in our families. Jesus’ message challenges us to include more than our own individual selves in the happiness we pursue.
For what are you grateful in our nation on this 4th of July? To whom do you reciprocate a greeting of peace in your home and neighborhood?
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