From 9:51 Luke constructs his account as a description of a journey that Jesus makes in the direction of Jerusalem. This is a theological rather than a geographical journey: it is the proceeding toward the full fulfillment of the revelation of the Father’s face that will take place with the paschal mystery, in the Jerusalemite context. Within this journey of his and, even more, this struggle for the revelation of the Father’s face and for the salvation of all people, Jesus resolves for a direct involvement of his disciples, sending them ahead of him along the way.

The missionary’s priority In initiating the mission should not primarily be the works to be done or the strategies to be built, rather the perfect attunement with the spirit that moved the Master. The

The primary task of the missionary is prayer before the breadth of the harvest. It is not an invocation “for God to send us good.” With that invitation Jesus declares in advance that the mission will not be the exclusive preserve of the 72, but more importantly that they will not be adequate, that the task is disproportionate, that the measure of their abilities is utterly inadequate compared to the field to be covered. Then the important requirement of the missionary is theawareness of one’s own insubstantiality: one must be humble and convinced that one neither is nor has much to put into the field.

The background of returning from mission is joy. The success of the mission, however, is not considered by the disciples to be the conversion of the nations, but rather the defeat of the demons. Instead of telling Jesus about the joy for the people healed, the comfort brought, the good distributed, they exult and rejoice over the power they felt and held in their hands.

The fact that Jesus “corrects” the disciples about the reason for their rejoicing highlights a flaw in their style: it thus appears that they have not yet fully taken on the Master’s vision and approach. Yet they lived the mission and were actually able to exercise power over Evil.

Life messages

– Flawed and flawed disciples are missionaries nonetheless is consoling and encouraging news that invites us to look more freely and loosely at the issue of the adequacy and credibility of gospel witnesses.

– Whatever issues we may face at this time, on this day let us count our blessings and express our gratitude for them. And the only way to do that is to say “Yes” to Jesus and his Gospel. Let’s start doing that now.