Week 33 of the Church year
പെന്തിക്കോസ്തിക്കു ശേഷം നാലാം ഞായർ
Jesus sends seventy followers ahead of him, two by two, into every town he plans to visit. The harvest is huge, he says, and the workers are few.
Jesus appoints seventy others and sends them in pairs ahead of him. They are to pray for more workers, travel light, bring peace to each house, heal the sick and announce the kingdom. Towns that reject them reject him.
Two Sundays ago Jesus sent the twelve. Today he sends a much larger group, which shows that mission is not only for apostles.
The first thing Jesus tells the workers to do is pray for more workers.
ഈ ഞായറാഴ്ചയുടെ വായനകൾ
Jesus has compassion on the crowd and feeds five thousand.
The seventy return with joy; rejoice that your names are written in heaven.
The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.
Who may dwell on your holy hill? The one who walks blamelessly and speaks truth.
As new wine is found in a cluster, I will not destroy them all.
Seven men full of the Spirit are chosen to serve the widows at table.
Let all you do be done in love; Maranatha, our Lord, come!
Jesus sends seventy ahead of him: the harvest is plentiful, the workers few. This is the Gospel of the day.
Open in five scenesMoses blesses the tribes, and the psalm asks who may live on God’s holy hill. Isaiah says God will not destroy the whole vine for the sake of a few good grapes. In Acts seven are chosen to serve tables, and Paul ends a letter by greeting fellow workers.
References follow the official lectionary of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. Your parish may read them in a different order.
Pick a scene to see what happens in it and what is easy to miss.
The Lord appoints seventy others and sends them ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he is about to go.
Some ancient manuscripts say seventy-two. Either way, the number recalls the seventy nations of Genesis 10: the whole world.
The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Pray the Lord of the harvest to send workers. Go; I am sending you like lambs among wolves.
The ones told to pray for workers are the workers. Prayer and going belong together.
Carry no purse, bag or sandals, and do not stop to greet people on the road. In each house say: peace to this house. Stay there and eat what is given.
“Do not move from house to house.” They are to stay with the family that receives them, not look for better lodging.
In a town that welcomes you, eat what is set before you, heal the sick and say the kingdom of God has come near. Where they do not welcome you, wipe off the dust and say the same thing.
The message is the same whether they are welcomed or not: the kingdom has come near.
Jesus warns Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum, towns that saw his works and did not repent. Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me.
Jesus identifies completely with his messengers, however ordinary they are.
The verse to keep
“അവരോടു പറഞ്ഞതു: കൊയ്ത്തു വളരെ ഉണ്ടു സത്യം; വേലക്കാരോ ചുരുക്കം; ആകയാൽ കൊയ്ത്തിന്റെ യജമാനനോടു തന്റെ കൊയ്ത്തിന്നു വേലക്കാരെ അയക്കേണ്ടതിന്നു അപേക്ഷിപ്പിൻ.”Then he said to them, “The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest, that he may send out laborers into his harvest.
The seventyഎഴുപതു പേർ
Followers of Jesus beyond the twelve. Church tradition lists their names.
“—”
ആദ്യം പ്രാർത്ഥിക്കുക, പിന്നെ പോകുക
The twelve were not enough. Jesus appoints seventy more, ordinary followers whose names Luke does not give us, and sends them out in pairs. The work was always meant to be shared. A Church where only the priest does the mission has misunderstood the Gospel.
Their first instruction is to pray for more workers. Then they are told to go. They bring peace into homes, eat what they are given, heal the sick and say that God’s kingdom has come near. Some towns welcome them and some do not. Either way, the message is the same.
Every parish needs people to teach Sunday School, visit the sick, sing, cook, organise and welcome. Many of these jobs fall on a few tired shoulders. This Gospel asks two things of the rest of us: pray that God will send workers, and be open to the possibility that he is sending you.
കുടുംബമായി സംസാരിക്കാം
What is one way our family could help with the work of our parish?
Two minutes after the audio. Everyone gets a turn, and nobody is interrupted.Offer to help with one parish task this month, and do it with a partner, as the seventy did.
Lord of the harvest, send workers into your field. Make us willing to go where you send us, to bring peace to every house, and to tell everyone that your kingdom has come near. Amen.
The whole year
Every Sunday of the Church year, season by season: readings, the Gospel and a question for the family.
Sunday 5 of 18 in Pentecost