Opening Prayer

Lord, grant that I may see you more clearly,
love you more dearly, and follow you more nearly,
day by day.

Scripture

Luke 10:17-24

The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!” He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. Indeed, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
At that very hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
Then turning to the disciples, Jesus said to them privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see but did not see it and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

Reflection

The return of the 72 disciples, filled with joy at their success in casting out demons in Jesus’ name, highlights the profound impact of working in alignment with divine authority. Jesus’ response, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning,” reassures them that their efforts contribute to the defeat of evil. Celebrating these spiritual victories reminds us to find joy in the positive changes we help bring about through our faith and to recognize the larger spiritual battle in which we are participants.

Jesus directs His disciples to find their true joy not in their newfound powers but in the fact that their names are “written in heaven.” This perspective shift emphasises that our ultimate happiness should stem from our relationship with God and our place in His eternal kingdom. Prioritising this divine connection over earthly achievements encourages us to focus on our spiritual growth and the eternal significance of our actions, fostering a deeper, more enduring sense of fulfilment and purpose.

Contemplation

I take a few moments to imagine the scene from the Gospel story I just read. I let the words come alive in my heart. I visualise the event as if I was there and part of the story. I pay attention to all the details, the sights, the sounds, the tastes, the smells, and the feelings of the event. I imagine myself as one of the characters in the scene or as myself present in the story. What message does Jesus have for me? How is God speaking to me personally through this story? I open my heart to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

Thanksgiving

I ask God, the Father, to give me an intimate knowledge of the many gifts I have received,
so that filled with gratitude for all, I may in all things love and serve the Divine Majesty.

Fellow Pilgrims

Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.

– Saint Teresa of Calcutta

Closing Prayer

Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Amen.