The 72 disciples mentioned in today’s Gospel might be thought of as representing every person who has received the extraordinary gift of Baptism and who, by that Baptism, has become a living and vital part of the living body of Christ, the community of faith which we call the Church. In other words, in a certain sense, those 72 disciples represent all of us. And what is it that Jesus asks of us? He asks us not to close ourselves in our own comfortable worlds but, rather, to be ready to carry what Pope Francis would call the joy of the Gospel to everyone we meet. We should carry it in our minds, carry it in our hearts, carry it on our faces. And, each in our own way according to the realities of our own particular situation, we should, as Jesus reminds us in today’s Gospel, do so in a simple way, making sure that it is peace we bring into people’s lives rather than turmoil and division.
Adults: How do you bring peace and joy to those you encounter?
Children: How do you share your joy and peace with others?
Comments are closed.