89. People of Peace

As the days went by, Jesus moved toward Jerusalem, and sent messengers on before him to a village of the Samaritans to prepare for his arrival. They didn’t welcome him, though, because he was focused on Jerusalem. When his disciples, James and John, saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from the sky, and destroy them, just as Elijah did?”

But he turned and rebuked them, and they went to another village.

The Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them two by two ahead of him into every city and place, where he was about to come. Then he said to them, “The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest, that he may send out laborers into his harvest. Go your ways. Behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, nor wallet, nor sandals. Greet no one on the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’ If a person of peace is there, your peace will come to rest, but if not, it will return to you. Remain in that same house, eating and drinking the things they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Don’t go from house to house. Into whatever city you enter which receives you, eat what is set before you; heal the sick, and tell them, ‘God’s kingdom has come near to you.’ But into any city you enter which doesn’t receive you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust from your city that clings to us, we wipe off against you. But know this: God’s kingdom has come near you.’ I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom in the Day of Judgment than for that city.

The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the evil spirits are subject to us in your name!”

He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will in any way hurt you. Nevertheless, don’t rejoice that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Reflections

Though Jesus felt drawn by destiny to Jerusalem, where people of violence would demand his death, he sent out a large group of his disciples to look for people of peace. Are you a person of peace, welcoming those who come with a message of peace? How do you live in peace as the world becomes ever more hostile and violent? 

Prayer: Help me be a person of peace, Lord, in an angry, hateful world.