“Go on your way”

In this week's Gospel Jesus tells his disciples something very simple: "Go on your way." It comes from Luke's Gospel when Jesus first sends out "seventy-two others" to proclaim to the villages that Jesus is on his way. These 72 are not the apostles, who in Luke's Gospel had already been sent out before this, and so they show us that, from the beginning, the mission and ministry of the Church involved many more people than just the Apostles.

He tells these seventy-two: "Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves." Jesus recognizes that this work will not be easy. There will be many who will not accept the message. There will be others who will be outright hostile toward it. There may be danger to life and to property. But the message is vital for the people to hear. And the message that Jesus sends them with is this: "The kingdom of God is at hand for you."

As we continue forward through our summer and make our ways, through our social events and our travels, to various locations throughout our city, country and world, let us not forget that we too are called to proclaim the message! The Kingdom of God is at hand in all places and at all times! Let us make sure that we do our part to build up this kingdom wherever we are on our way, for while our lives in the world involve rest, the work of the Kingdom never ceases.

Want to prepare your heart and mind for Mass this weekend? Click here to find the readings this Sunday's Mass.