Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year C
July 3, 2016
Gospel: Lk 10:1-12, 17-20
At that time the Lord appointed seventy-two others
whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to
visit. 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. Go on
your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag,
no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you
enter, first say, 'Peace to this household.' If a peaceful person lives there,
your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. 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. Whatever town you
enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and
say to them,
'The kingdom of God is at hand for you.' Whatever town
you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, 'The
dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.'
Yet know this: the kingdom of God is at hand. I tell you, it will be more
tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town."
The seventy-two returned rejoicing, and said,
"Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name." Jesus
said, "I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky. Behold, I
have given you the power to 'tread upon serpents' and scorpions and upon the
full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice
because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are
written in heaven."
This week’s spotlight
The entrance song
The Sunday Mass almost always begins with a song.
Singing together is an excellent means of coming together - by uniting our
voices, we also unite our hearts! By singing, we praise the Lord and we ask him
to welcome us into his house. The entrance song is often related to the theme
of the Scripture readings. It prepares us for what is going to follow. Pay
attention!
Disciples and apostles
When Jesus begins his preaching, people immediately
start to gather around him. These are his disciples. A disciple is someone who
follows and learns from another. From among
the disciples, Jesus chooses twelve men to be his Apostles. An apostle is
someone who is sent on a mission. The apostles are Jesus' closest friends; they
follow him and live with him. The apostles
are sent by Jesus to be the first bishops, the first ambassadors of the
Gospel.
Reflection
An adventure in discipleship!
It’s summer! School is out, and it’s time
for vacation, for travel, and for visits with friends and family. Notice that
in this week’s Gospel Jesus sends out his disciples. He invites them to set out
on new paths, to meet new people, and to proclaim the kingdom of God in new
towns. He commands them to bring peace and to cure the sick. Jesus promises
them that God will guide and care for them, even if they are rejected. Jesus invites
us to enjoy this time of vacation and to trust in his care for us. If you are
going away on a trip this summer (even if it's just to the local swimming
pool), imagine yourself as one of the disciples whom Jesus sent out to proclaim
the kingdom. What are some ways in which you can bring the light of Christ to
the people you meet and the places you go? Make this summer vacation an
adventure in discipleship!
Discussion questions
1.How does Jesus send out seventy of his followers?
2.What are Jesus’ followers sent out to do?
3.What does Jesus tell them to do if they are rejected?
4.What do the seventy tell Jesus when they return?
5.What does Jesus tell them?
After
receiving Holy Communion,
you can say this prayer silently to yourself. If you
have not yet
received your First Communion, you can still say this prayer because of your desire to
receive Jesus.
Father, through Jesus, in
communion with the whole Church, I thank you for coming into my heart. You sent
Jesus to be with us always, even on vacation. Help me to be more aware of his
presence, and more open to his gifts of peace and love.
This week…
Let yourself be welcomed
It’s summer vacation! You are
going to meet new people (at the recreation center, at camp, or on a family
trip). Don’t be afraid to be yourself. Let others get to know you as you really
are.
Reach out to others
If you already have a close group of friends, it’s
easy to forget that God has new friends for you to meet. Try to welcome others
into your circle of friends, especially those you will meet during this
vacation.
Word search
Source: usccb.org - Magnifikid - sermons4kids.com – rclblectionary.com –usccb.org/bible/readings-audio.cfm