28TH SATURDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Luke 10:1-9) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“Behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.” (Lk 10:3)

FIRST READING - 2 Tim 4:10-17b

"Luke is the only one with me."

A reading from the Second Letter to Timothy

¹⁰ for Demas, enamored of the present world, deserted me and went to Thessalonica, Crescens to Galatia,^[a] and Titus to Dalmatia. ¹¹ Luke is the only one with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is helpful to me in the ministry. ¹² I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus. ¹³ When you come, bring the cloak I left with Carpus in Troas, the papyrus rolls, and especially the parchments.

¹⁴ Alexander^[b] the coppersmith did me a great deal of harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. ¹⁵ You too be on guard against him, for he has strongly resisted our preaching.

¹⁶ At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them! ¹⁷ But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Lk 10:1-9

"The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few."

✠From the Gospel according to Luke

¹ After this the Lord appointed seventy[-two]^[b] others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. ² He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. ³ Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. ^4 [c]Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. ⁵ Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’^{[d] 6} If a peaceful person^[e] lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. ⁷ Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another. ⁸ Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, ⁹ cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’

28TH SATURDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Luke 10:1-9)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

Today, the Church celebrates Saint Luke, the author of one of the Gospels. In today's Word of God, it is recounted that Jesus sends out His seventy-two disciples to evangelize. Before being sent into the missionary field to gather the harvest, they were meticulously instructed by Him and granted various graces to embark on their mission.

God is the Most High. He knows that humanity needs His love and mercy, so He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to accompany humanity and free them from the captivity of Satan. Therefore, Jesus called upon His disciples, saying: “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field, for the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.”

God knows that many souls are suffering, that many are in need of His mercy. Therefore, He sent out the seventy-two disciples to work in the harvest of the missionary field: to proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven, to call people to repentance, and to heal the sick and the disabled. Today, He also bestows this missionary mandate upon all Christians. All are children of God, and each person has the duty to go forth and help their brothers and sisters escape the captivity of Satan.

When sending His disciples out to evangelize, God knew with certainty that they would encounter difficulties and trials - like sheep going among wolves. Therefore, He instructed them to live and act precisely according to His commands as they proclaimed the coming of the kingdom of God, so they would not fall into Satan’s traps.

The teachings God gave to His disciples of old remain just as relevant today. Hold tightly to the word of God, never neglect the word He has given to humanity. For only by practicing exactly what He commands will Satan not attack, not harm the soul, and not hinder the work God has entrusted to us: bringing souls back to Him.

Thanks be to God. Amen.