Mass readings for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time:
Isaiah 66.10-14 Psalm 66.1-7, 16, 20 Galatians 6.14.18 Luke 10.1-12, 17-20
This Sunday in ordinary time tends to land toward the end of what we, in the Canadian Church, refer to as the “pastoral year” – the period of greatest activity, liturgically, programmatically, pastorally, that pretty much coincides with the school year and its annual summer break that sees families with children taking advantage of Canada’s season of leisure when there’s no snow or ice, it’s reliably warm, the hot sun seen most days. And we all want to be out enjoying this.
So, I’m not certain as to all the considerations that went into the design of our lectionary, the three-year cycle of readings, but I don’t think they were mindful of how a gospel such as today’s lands on a summer’s day with a congregation not apt to be thinking of missionary work, whose minds are more on relaxation and soaking up the sun. Yet, here we have Jesus commissioning the first great mission: the 70 sent out to spread the good news, to preach, teach, heal and exorcise demons, among the towns and villages of the Galilee and perhaps, a few places beyond.
I’m going to say that this gospel then is food for thought to be chewed and digested wherever we might find ourselves in the coming weeks of recreation. And what I would ask us to consider is the realistic assessment Jesus gives to his disciples, these proto-Apostles, being sent out a little into the world, the little world of the Galilee, and some parts of Judea. It’s guidance for us that it should set our expectations for what happens when we take up our apostolic role, and go out there, as sheep among wolves, to find the lost sheep and bring them home.
It’s going to be not only hard work, it’s going to be marked by a lot of disappointment (Isaiah says we’ll rejoice with Jerusalem, but we will also mourn over her!); but even more threatening to the mission will be, ironically, success.
When we consider the territory of the Galilee, we’re talking about at most, 90,000 people. Take in those other parts of the Holy Land that Jesus had set out for his program of evangelization, it’s maybe that number again. So, less than 200,000 people potentially contacted; not even half the population of metropolitan Hamilton. Now, we know this is a different time from ours technologically: they’ve no newspapers, radio, television, email, internet social media. All of the work will be done by personal contact– one-on-one encounters, talking to small groups, gathering crowds in the village squares. Someone has to physically get to each of these little towns, nothing virtual at all – it’s got to be real.
And we as a community of disciples, who are called to share the good news, to be like these 70, we need to recognize that there are no short cuts. The good news, for all the many efforts to harness modern media, never really is heard by those who need to hear it – we’ve more than enough examples of great films and television series that faithful Christians think so marvelous and moving, that are successful in the cinemas and in broadcast, but they’ve come into a culture over the past 50 years and more, that can look at them, be entertained, perhaps a little intrigued, but nonetheless saw more leave their faith then re-ignite it; saw more people identify as without faith than who ever came to the font for baptism. The gospel is never more effective, nor more authentic, than when heard in the voice of another who is right there, present to them – that encounter is real; not something so easily switched off, not just another bit of information and entertainment that flows over them in the sea of video and audio distractions.
So, we can’t accomplish our mission through technology; it will help, we’re no longer limited in the scope of personal contact with others by how far we can walk in a day – we can write, telephone; more effectively, we can meet and talk, face-to-face; we can gather and invite, and offer prayers, study, worship and, what so many are lacking today, fellowship.
We need to be prepared for disappointment. Are we ready to be heartbroken in having people, often people we know and care about, refuse the gospel? It’s a common experience for us, and it’s disheartening. This can be a family member, or a new acquaintance, the work colleague or neighbour known for years, the person newly met with whom you seem to have quickly established a good rapport. And when as inoffensively as one might, we invite them to come out to a parish event, or perhaps, seeing a spiritual need, offer to pray with them, they recoil and look at you as if you were the wolf in sheep’s clothing.
We need to acknowledge and factor into our work that our society is profoundly divided. At a secular level of analysis, we see this in people’s sense as to where the solutions lie for us in our political and economic life, especially as we understand things to be at a turning point, a critical juncture. Look at the polling, and there’s no surprise that we see a familiar three-way split: those who believe we need only stay the course, for whatever might be wrong with what we’ve done, it’s only a matter of some sensible adjustments, and we’ll be fine. There are those who see we need for substantive change; that continuing as we have will lead to disaster; and, there are those who aren’t certain what to think – and they like the middle course between the status quo and radical change. The distribution across is often pretty equal; but it shifts around, and elections turn on that.
It’s the same with respect to the spiritual. Indeed, as I argue, all of what we see in the news, in politics and economics, etc. it all comes down to the spiritual, and must be addressed in just these terms.
Spend a lifetime ensconced in a culture that, for all its problems, is still one’s natural environment, it’s hard to imagine doing things any different – and that forms an attitude toward the spiritual life. It doesn’t matter if one can admit the deficiencies of one’s lifestyles, that certain lack of satisfaction; there is a conviction that this is as good as it gets. Indeed, there is a suspicion of change as being an enticement to something that in the end is worse. And that’s what the Jesus prepares his disciples to encounter: the power of a comforting piety among the people, who for all they can see that is wrong in the world, still put their trust and confidence in the status quo. And we’ll encounter that. The Catholic family that never goes to mass, and yet are convinced that they share in Christ’s redemption, because, well, they’re “nice” people. In the secular world, they are perfect in being inoffensive, tolerant, accommodating every change made, every tradition jettisoned, every moral law overturned. They just incorporate it and make it the new normal and carry on.
It’s so interesting to know that the Church is now encountering people in their 20s and early 30s unburdened by a religious identity, not even nominally Catholic or Christian, who are turning up in parishes with questions, but also a clear-sightedness about what’s going on in society. They’re disturbed by it while many nominal Christian aren’t so perturbed.
Jesus tells us there will be refusals, some given civilly, some not so, in both instances, just move on. Wipe the dust off, keep moving, get to the next town, the next encounter. And who knows, on the next go around we might get a different reception.
Lastly, Jesus warns us about success. We heard how the 70 returned to him with joy and good reports. Jesus rejoices with them, but reminds them that this has all happened because they’ve acted in his name. So, we’re reminded of our spiritual authority in Jesus’ name to confront a world of people alienated from God, but we’re also prompted to shift our perspective from these little victories to the enduring joy found in our eternal connection with God. It’s the connection to God in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit that properly animates us; and it’s that connection we are showing to others, it’s the vine of which we are a branch, the family in which we are brothers and sisters – this is what we are inviting others to join and so, find life, peace and joy; what the world cannot give, what comfortable pieties cannot deliver, what ideological convictions cannot provide.
So, do rest up; we need to hit the road in a couple of months. And rejoice in that, because Christ only invites to the journey those whose names are written in heaven.
Amen.