Friday of the
Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time
(Job 38:1.12-21.12-21.40:3-5; Luke 10:13-16)
On the anniversary
of his being ordained a bishop, St. Augustine said: “Where I’m terrified by
what I am for you, I am given comfort by what I am with you. For you I am a bishop, with you, after all, I
am a Christian. The first is the name of
an office undertaken, the second a name of grace; that one means danger, this
one salvation.” More than most clerics,
Augustine was aware of the great responsibility he assumed with ordination. Jesus suggests the enormity of the
undertaking in today’s gospel.
Jesus is dismissing the seventy-two disciples for their
missionary journey. He has mandated that
they announce the kingdom of God. Now,
after indicating the consequences of rejecting the proclamation, he identifies himself
with them, and God the Father with him. It
may be a privilege that they have been chosen to preach God’s word, but it
entails a huge mortgage. They will be
responsible for other people’s salvation.
If they fail because of carelessness or giving rise to scandal, they can
expect a fate more disastrous than the condemnation of Tyre, Sidon, and
Capernaum.
All of us are being called today to be missionary
disciples. We are to learn from Jesus
the ways of holiness, love, and justice.
And then we are to show these qualities to others. There is not much room for slack on the
mission. But let us not be troubled so
much by the responsibility. After all,
as Augustine knew well, knowing Christ has graced us. We not only can but are delighted to share
his love with others.
