Luke 10:1-12 NRSVue

¹After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. ²He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. ³Go on your way; I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. ⁴Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. ⁵Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ ⁶And if a person of peace is there, your peace will rest on that person, but if not, it will return to you. ⁷Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. ⁸Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; ⁹cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’^{, 10}But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ¹¹‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’^{, 12}I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that town.

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Some thoughts on this scripture

Reflection
Jesus, you came as one bringing peace, and told us to greet people with a word of peace, not hostility, or judgment. May your blessing flow through me, so that when I leave people, they may feel approved of, contented and tranquil.

Reflection
There's something in this bit of the gospel about being single-minded in the service of the Lord. Where you find a good place to spread the word, you stay there. You move on if there is no openness. Our big message is that the kingdom of God is very near. This nearness is in the person of Jesus. God's reign of love and justice is near to us when we are closely in touch with the Lord Jesus.

Reflection
A harvest can be ruined by a lack of workers. A field full of fruit can go to waste when there are not enough people to pick the fruit. The world is the harvest of God where his love and his word are sown. Without the followers of Jesus, the word is unspoken and even the love of God is unrecognised. Prayer can increase our desire to spread the word and love of Jesus Christ in our immediate surroundings.

Reflection
These instructions of Jesus seem to be about being single-minded in his service. We put trust in him rather than in having spares of everything or by depending on money. Prayer and service, love of others and of the poor, bring the kingdom near in word and deed.

Reflection
The Lord had his helpers - people went before him to announce he was coming. The kingdom of God is never spread on one's own. As a community we listen to the word of God and respond. Team work is the way forward for any Christian community. Prayer helps us recognise the gifts and talents of everyone, and the dignity of each of us in the sight of God.

Reflection
There is an encouragement here from Jesus to place trust only in him as we work for the kingdom of God. We are to carry little for the journey. Often what we do in faith and love seems to bear little fruit. Offered to the work of Jesus in the world, we never know when it may bear fruit. We are people who work hard for the Lord and leave the results to him.