Readings Is 11:1-10; Ps 72; Lk 10:21-24
Whenever I read today’s Gospel passage from Luke, I realize how blessed we are as Christians because we know Jesus Christ, just as Jesus revealed
to the disciples:
“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”
He said this to the 72
who had just returned from their mission to take the Good News into the world,
to do the work Jesus had been doing. Not long before, Jesus had sent the 12 out
on their first mission to do the same: to preach, to teach, and to heal, all in
the name of Jesus Christ. And all of these first missionaries had proclaimed
the Kingdom of God to the People of God, for the Jews would be the first to
hear the Good News. Jesus had also told them:
“To you it has been given to know the secrets of the Kingdom of God, but to others I speak in parables, so that looking they may not perceive and hearing they may not understand.”
These words don’t mean
that insight and understanding are given only to Jesus’ immediate disciples. Rather,
He is telling them that they, because they are faithful disciples, have opened themselves
to hear and, therefore, to understand His message, and to see and imitate His
works.
I can take no credit
for converting a single soul, but I suppose in some way, God works through us to
lead those He calls to discipleship. For over ten years, Diane and I served as
hospital chaplains here in The Villages. On our assigned days we would be asked
to visit 20 or 30 newly admitted patients, people of all faiths. Our role was
largely prayerful, to provide comfort to those who were suffering, to assist
them if they had unaddressed needs, but mostly just to listen.
One morning we visited
a man on the cardiac care floor. As we entered his room, he noticed our “Chaplain”
name tags, and with a frown said:
“I had a heart attack
that almost killed me. Now the doctors tell me I need a transplant, But the
chances aren’t good that I’ll survive long enough to get one.”
He then asked – and these
were his words:
“What the hell do you
want?”
So, I said the only
thing I could think of saying:
“To help you avoid
going there.”
I guess that broke the
ice. He laughed and asked us what church we came from. When I told him we were
Catholic, he said he used to be, but left the Church when he was in his 20s. I
just said, “Well, if you were baptized, you’re still a Catholic, even if you
don’t know it.”
With that the three of
us talked a while – about his life, about his fear of death, about Jesus and
God’s unconditional love, but mostly about forgiveness. Eventually he admitted,
as he described it, having “a mountain of sins, mostly unforgiveable.”
So, we suggested, “Well, then, let’s test your theory. I’m going to call a priest friend, a really good guy, and he’ll come here, and hear your confession. With that you’ll taste the goodness of God’s forgiveness. And you’ll also see how wonderful it is to be in friendship with Jesus Christ.”
It all happened just as
God planned it. When my priest friend entered the room, this long-lapsed soul
sat up and cried.
He died the following
week.
So, do you see how blessed
we are to have known Jesus Christ, most of us for our entire lives? And yet, He
is there for all, even those who have long ignored Him.
But we are called, just
like the Apostles and the 72, to evangelize, to take the Good News of Jesus Christ
to all those we encounter, to all those places in our lives.
The great thing is, He does all the work; we just say and do whatever He tells us.
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