Readings: Isaiah 66:10-14c; Responsorial Psalm Ps 66:1-3a,4-5, 6-7,16 & 20 (R.1); Galatians 6:14:18; Gospel Luke 10:1-12,17-20.
Theme: Of a New World Order & Messengers of Peace
Dearly beloved in Christ, our liturgy today hinges around establishing a New World Order (NWO) where harmony and concord flow from the streams of truth, justice and peace. In the second reading (Galatians 6:14:18), Saint Paul upturns the worldly order of discriminatory standards by proposing a NWO anchored on a new creation. In this NWO, circumcision, colour, race, tribe, societal status, gender and financial status do not matter. The Apostle Paul goes ahead to promise “peace and mercy” to those who walk by this rule or a civilisation of love for want of a better expression.
When Jesus started his ministry, he needed apostles who help him in inaugurating this new kingdom of truth, justice and love. In no time, he extended that power to seventy others as the gospel (Luke 10:1-12,17-20) indicates. These men like John the Baptist, were supposed to do the groundwork of clearing before the master arrives.
Because as Jesus says “the harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few,” he had to initiate the Great Commission as a way of entrenching the NWO. Mission takes its roots from the Great Commission Christ entrusted to his apostles and to the Church (Matthew 28:16-20). By that mission, Christ intended that the sacred task of preaching, teaching and sanctification of the world he entrusted to the Church should reach the ends of the earth.
Jesus insists that the mission requires a radical realisation that ostentatious living and sensuous delights robs the apostles and would be disciples of the privileges of the kingdom. As such, the worker of the Lord must rely on the mission for sustenance – Pastors of souls ought to put an eye on the tilling and wedding of the vineyard and not be overtaken by the eye-catching fruits on the tree. The less obviously they look for, the more shall they receive, the Lord assures.
Jesus cautions the apostles for being excited that the devils were subject to his name noting that being a candidate for heaven was even more important. Commenting on this, a theologian wrote: “Gifts and powers are good, and may legitimately be rejoiced in; but to possess eternal life, and to belong to the mother-city of us all, the New Jerusalem, is better than all gifts and all powers” (Luke 10:17-20). An indication that we are called to be faithful not successful.
Making heaven is our greatest mission. When all is done, if our administering and reception of the sacraments, exorcism, tithing, building of cathedrals, acts of charity, prayer sessions, retreats, crusades and personal moral efforts cannot get us that ticket to heaven, ours is a failed mission.
From his twelve apostles to the seventy others and to us (all the baptised), Christ left the Church with two kinds of mission: mission ad intra which means mission within the church in terms of preaching, catechesis and engaging Pious Societies in various missionary enterprises, and mission ad extra that involves engaging in ecumenical activities with Christians of other faith as well as dialogue with Muslims.
By the virtue of baptism, we share in the priestly, kindly and prophetic mission of Christ. As members of the laity, religious and ministerial priests, Jesus expects us to push the NWO to the fardest ends of the earth. His mission and vision must not exclude the peace he bequeathed to his disciples and to us.
The fusion between Isaiah’s “Towards her I send peace flowing like a river” (Is. 66:12) and Jesus’ “Peace be to this house” (Lk. 10:15) demonstrates how important peace is in the overall development of the human person and human society.
If the NWO must make meaning, peace is an imperative. Today’s message is clear – we have a mission to be ambassadors of peace. Since peace cannot exist in an atmosphere of rancor, injustice and denial of truth, Jesus’ disciples in the secular realm must make it a constant duty to explore the avenues for engaging society headlong in the equitable distribution of the resources of the earth.
More importantly, Jesus expects those saddled with pastoral care to ensure the voiceless are heard, the hungry are feed, the naked are clothed, the sick and imprisoned are visited and the dead are buried. No other time than the Jubilee Year of Mercy is proper for this mission.
As vanguards of peace, we ought to be involved in ecumenical initiatives with our separated brethren and dialogue with Muslims if the world must experience the peace Christ prayed for. Someone has said, “Civilized people solve their problems through dialogue.”
At whichever level, dialogue entails mutual respect for one another’s creed and also, prayer. We must be conscious of Jesus’ warning: “I send you out like lambs in the midst of wolves.” The four kinds of dialogue proposed by the Church may help heal a broken-world:
1. Dialogue of Life: Dialogue of life happens in a situation “where people strive to live in an open and neighbourly spirit.” It happens in the ordinary events of life – work-place, institutions or in the neighbourhood. Here, people get to know each other and strive to live in peace with them. For instance, when we go to the bank or market, dialogue of life takes place as customers are not treated based on their religion. This kind of dialogue requires patience, perseverance as well as personal and communal effort anchored on our common humanity.
2. Dialogue of Action: Wherever Christians and Muslims work together to promote peace, liberty, social justice and moral values, dialogue of action takes place. These creeds stand for justice, peace and respect for life as well as human dignity. Since both religions share common human values and see the human as the custodian of the earth endowed with the power to use the earth’s resources justly, it is an imperative for Muslims and Christians “to collaborate in addressing social concerns based on these common religious motives and values” – This is dialogue of action.
3. Theological Dialogue or Dialogue of Experts: When academics, experts, theologians or religious leaders of various religions meet to clarify issues, create greater understanding, they are engaged in dialogue of experts. This kind of dialogue helps to remove prejudices that blind religious leaders of a particular creed from seeing the good in another faith. It also helps them to appreciate each other’s spiritual values while having a better understanding of their differences.
4. Dialogue of Religious Experience: This kind of dialogue takes place at interfaith prayer sessions where religious texts are jointly read and reflected upon by members of both faiths. This kind of dialogue also requires a level of expertise. While this type of dialogue requires expertise, it could take place in local communities when there is a genuine need to come together to seek the face of God – such occasions could be during draught or famine.
It is important to end with St. Francis’ Prayer for Peace:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much
Seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen – Happy New Month.
Have a great week ahead!
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