“Peace be to this House”
Meditation
for the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
(Is 66:10-14;
Gal 6:14-18; Lk 10:1-12, 17-20)
Let us meditate on the mission of the seventy disciples, whom Jesus sent ahead of him, two by two. The first charge He gave them was to pray, and to pray for laborers into the harvest. Prayer is missionary! It is from there that we release the energy that makes the mission of Christ to succeed. The second charge was for them to be conscious of the seriousness of the task ahead, and the possible danger that awaits the preacher of the gospel. He said, “Behold, I send you out like lambs in the midst of wolves.” That means the bearer of the good news of salvation cannot be ‘causal’, but like a man in a war front, he must be alert and avoid distractions. Hence, Jesus said to them, “Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and salute no one on the road.”
The instructions of Jesus are necessary for the disciples
to become agents of peace to those they meet. Jesus said to them, “Whatever
house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ In order to be bring
peace into the hearts of men, the bearer of the gospel message must pattern
himself according to the instructions of Jesus. That means he must be a man of
peace first, before he can convert others to be men of peace. The pattern of life
fit for the gospel, and on which the gospel germinates and grows is unique. It is
completely different from our ordinary day to day ways of life. Every aspect of
the life of the bearer of the gospel must be coordinated and patterned towards
successful transmission of the good news of peace.
The instructions and patterns of life that form fertile
ground for the gospel to germinate and grow are summed up in the cross of our
Lord Jesus Christ. On the cross is the ultimate pattern that saves, and makes
salvation possible in the hearts of all believers. This is what St Paul
emphasized in the Second reading, saying, “Far be it from me to glory except in
the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to
me, and I to the world.” The cross becomes our ‘rule’ of life; the pattern that
shapes our lives. From the cross of Christ, we draw strength like weak lambs to
confront the wolves of this world. So, we are not afraid of embarking on difficult
tasks or facing challenges. Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must
deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mt 16:24). And St Paul says,
“Henceforth let no man trouble me; for I
bear on my body the marks of Jesus.”
If through the pattern of the cross we make our daily
choices, and spread out the good news of peace to others, then the blessings
foreseen by Prophet Isaiah shall be fulfilled in and through us. From the cross
of Jesus flows that fountain that consoles and satisfies, that we may drink deeply
with delight from the abundance of His glory. From this fountain, the prophet
announced that prosperity will flow like a river, and wealth shall be like
overflowing stream; “Your heart shall rejoice…and it shall be known that the
hand of the Lord is with His servants.”
The seventy disciples returned with joy. They testified to
their victory over evil. Jesus welcomed them, and assured them that they had
been given authority over every evil. Most importantly, the bearers of the good
news of peace have their names written in heaven. At the end, the weak man sent
out like sheep among wolves, who drank from the fountain of grace flowing from
the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, is given authority to overcome evil, and be
filled with joy and heavenly blessings. Amen.
Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.
Sunday July 3rd, 2022.
