September 22, 2004 - Wednesday, 25th Week in Ordinary Time

SENT IN POVERTY

Readings:
Pro 30:5-9; Ps 119:29, 72, 89, 101, 104, 163; Lk 9:1-6

Opening Prayer

Lord our God,
your mercy extends to everyone.
Let your missionary Church go out to all
without any self-imposed, useless baggage
that obscures the pure message of the gospel
but with great humility before the good will
and the hospitality of people.
May thus our receptivity to people
make them in turn receptive to the good news
of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading Introduction:
       The author admits his ignorance and attests to the solid value of divine wisdom. He prays for faithfulness and a life of neither abundance nor want.

First Reading: Prv 30:5–9

Every word of God is tested;
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
Add nothing to his words,
lest he reprove you, and you will be exposed as a
deceiver.
Two things I ask of you,
deny them not to me before I die:
Put falsehood and lying far from me,
give me neither poverty nor riches;
provide me only with the food I need;
Lest, being full, I deny you,
saying, “Who is the LORD?”
Or, being in want, I steal,
and profane the name of my God.

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 119:29, 72, 89, 101, 104, 163

R. Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.

Remove from me the way of falsehood,
and favor me with your law.
R. Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.

The law of your mouth is to me more precious
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
R. Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.

Your word, O LORD, endures forever;
it is firm as the heavens.
R. Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.

From every evil way I withhold my feet,
that I may keep your words.
R. Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.

Through your precepts I gain discernment;
therefore I hate every false way.
R. Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.

Falsehood I hate and abhor;
your law I love.
R. Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.

Gospel Introduction:
       Luke, more than the other evangelists, stresses the poverty of the apostle and thus spiritualizes the mission of the herald of the gospel. Still, he has to take people in the concrete. They are to be healed from illness, which expresses the power of evil over sinful humanity; for the Bible considers sickness a consequence of sin through this link: that the spiritual illness of sin leads to physical illness. The apostle, then, must go to the whole person in a spirit of poverty. All he has to offer is the good news, and nothing may obscure it.

Gospel Reading: Lk 9:1-6

Jesus called his twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to drive out all evil spirits and to heal diseases. And he sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He instructed them, "Don't take anything for the journey, neither walking stick, nor bag, nor bread, nor silver coins; and don't even take a spare tunic. Whatever house you enter, remain there until you leave that place. And wherever they don't welcome you, leave the town and shake the dust from your feet: it will be as a testimony against them."

So they set out and went through the villages, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.

Commentary

WHY would I spend every day worrying about the next day and trying to provide for it? Because I don't believe in Providence. The word "providence" (Latin "pro-" + "videre") means to see to something. God is a Father who sees to things, not a cold pagan God (like Aristotle's, who doesn't even know that anything else exists). The Father of Jesus is a warm God.

But can you trust this warm God? People who believe in God and in God's Providence don't have it any easier than others; in fact they often have it harder. A business person (Matthew, for example, in his tax-gathering days) would say there were no short-term benefits. What about the long-term benefits? Preachers have played this card with the shamelessness of businessmen. Their hearers were prepared for it, because they all remembered by heart the catechism answer to why we are on this earth, "To know, love and serve God, and by this means to be happy with Him forever in heaven." God then was a means to my happiness. It's not surprising that many found Mammon could do it better.

The language of business corrupts religion. It makes self-interest a first principle. Jesus tells us to "take nothing for the journey." He tells us to love God with the whole heart: that means we are to take our eyes off the returns, and to stop calculating chances and being our own providence and giving up our lives to anxiety.

Intentions

- Lord, they were only fishers cleaning their nets, but you called the apostles to spread your good news. Make us fearless to speak your word, we pray:

- Lord, he was only a tax collector behind his desk, but you called Matthew to ho heal people and cast out devils. Wounded as we are, make us healers too, we pray:

- Lord, they are only plain, unpretentious people, but you call your faithful in our communities to tolerate no injustice, and to defend the poor. Speak through all of us what is right and good, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Creator of the whole world
and lover of all, our God,
we join your Son Jesus Christ in his sacrifice
whereby he redeemed the world.
Through the Spirit of your Son,
enlighten and guide us
to bring his good news as a light
to shine on all nations
and as the healing power
that reconciles all humanity with you,
our God for ever and ever.

Prayer after Communion

Lord our God,
your Son has again given us his command
to bring his message of hope and salvation
to all who are willing to listen.
We pray you now for those
whom you call especially for this task.
Let them be so much in the grip of the gospel
that they go out and place themselves
without fear or hesitation in the hands of people,
trusting in you and in the power of the gospel
of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Blessing

The whole Church is mission. Missionaries must leave behind their luggage of their culture and big means, but go in all simplicity with the good news of Jesus and must be ready also to be rejected like their Master. May almighty God bless you all, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

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