Today’s gospel: Luke 10:1-12,17-20
Jesus sends out the 72 on mission. They are to proclaim the Kingdom of God. “The kingdom of God is at hand for you.” (v.9b). They are to recover territory held by Satan. What Jesus did was to send them out to engage in spiritual warfare. That is still what Jesus sends out his disciples for today. We are to evangelize and do mission, and thus engage the enemy.
In this, as is often the case, it is a David-and-Goliath battle. “Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs, among wolves.” (v.3). Today, we fight the forces of the modernist world, of sects and of cults. In the assault against faith, family and life, we fight powerful secular forces such as the US Government, the European Union, the United Nations, international liberal media, billionaire philanthropists, and even an enemy within which includes highly placed bishops and cardinals.
Are God’s armies then being led to the slaughter? Well, we certainly will be beaten up, bloodied, or even killed. There will be oppression, persecution and suffering. But God is already victorious, and we share in that victory. “The seventy-two returned rejoicing, and said, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.’” (v.17). The still powerful Satan has already been defeated by Jesus on the cross, and his head crushed by Jesus and his mother Mary. “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.” (v.18). As God’s armies, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit and we come under the protection of God’s holy angels. “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.” (v.19).
To share in Christ’s victory, we need to be holy warriors. “Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” (v.20). Only the holy ones, who obey the very command of Jesus to proclaim the gospel and make disciples, will make it to heaven.
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