Daily Readings - Tue Oct 18 2022
2 Timothy
9Do your best to come to me quickly,10for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.11Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.12I sent Tychicus to Ephesus.13When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.14Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done.15You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.16At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them.17But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth.
Luke
1After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go.2He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.3Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.4Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.5"When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.'6If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you.7Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.8"When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you.9Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.'
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on trust in God’s providence and the challenges of discipleship. In the first reading from 2 Timothy, Paul expresses his isolation and abandonment by others, yet he remains steadfast in his faith, knowing that the Lord stands with him. He urges Timothy to remain faithful and to avoid those who oppose the Gospel. In the Gospel, Luke recounts Jesus sending out 72 disciples ahead of him, instructing them to trust in God’s provision and to proclaim the kingdom of God. They are to go forth with simplicity, relying not on material possessions but on the grace of God and the hospitality of others.
Both readings emphasize the importance of trust and detachment. Paul, despite being forsaken by many, finds strength in the Lord, who frees him from the “mouth of the lion.” Similarly, Jesus sends his disciples into the world with minimal provisions, teaching them to depend on God and the kindness of strangers. This trust is not passive; it is active and rooted in faith. The disciples are called to proclaim the kingdom fearlessly, knowing that their labor is not in vain. For Paul, too, his suffering is not without purpose, as it allows the Gospel to reach more people.
These readings challenge us to examine our own trust in God’s plan. Like the disciples, we are called to step out in faith, even when the path ahead is uncertain. Like Paul, we must persevere through trials, knowing that God’s strength is made perfect in weakness. In our daily lives, this means letting go of our need for control and security, and instead embracing the simplicity and humility of discipleship. May we, like Paul and the 72, trust in God’s providence and proclaim the Good News with courage and joy, knowing that the kingdom of God is near.