True Joy
Listening the Spirit
Prayer for vocations
O God, Father of all Mercies,
Provider of a bountiful Harvest,
send Your Graces upon those
You have called to gather the fruits of Your labor;
preserve and strengthen them in their lifelong service of you.
Open the hearts of Your children
that they may discern Your Holy Will;
inspire in them a love and desire to surrender themselves
to serving others in the name of Your son, Jesus Christ.
Teach all Your faithful to follow their respective paths in life
guided by Your Divine Word and Truth.
Through the intercession of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary,
all the Angels, and Saints, humbly hear our prayers
and grant Your Church's needs, through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Listening the Word: Luke 10:1–12, 17–20
At that time the Lord appointed seventy-two others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit.
He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another. Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’ Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, ‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.’ Yet know this: the kingdom of God is at hand. I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town.”
The seventy-two returned rejoicing, and said, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.” Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky. 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. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because yo
Reflection
After a long day or week, what brings you happiness? What is that small thing that recharges your battery? What is what makes you proud? What do you boast about?
In the social networks we notice that people feel happy when they are on trips to the beach or abroad or at nice coffee shops around the city. When they post pictures in the mountains or with beautiful landscapes. This is, at least in the social networks. Are we also part of that group? Does our happiness depend on the likes of strangers? What makes us happy?
In the readings of today we hear how people who follow the Lord find happiness in the Lord, in doing his will, in following his footsteps. It is difficult to explain how people can find joy in tiredness, tribulation, hardships and silence. It is something that we experience when we do something because of something greater, beyond our senses and immediate satisfaction.
The joy of Saint Paul in the letter of the Galatians (6:14-18) comes from the Grace that God has bestowed on Paul to become more like Christ in his hardships. The sacrifice he has done, the persecutions he has endured and all the adversities have shaped him in the image of Jesus, have brought him to be crucified.
The disciples went to encounter strangers, staying with them, eating their food, without money or bag, but they found joy. Joy in simplicity like their master: the lamb of God. They went to be lambs among wolves. To risk their life in exchange for a gift in heaven.
We understand the feeling of the disciples and Paul when we also go the same path of simplicity and service to the others. When we stay with strangers, when we help them in their needs, we visit someone sick or elderly, when we share our food or time with others, then we become emissaries of the kingdom of God to the people who feel alone, abandoned and are suffering. When after an overloaded day we come to offer our being to the Lord in prayer and we receive his consolation. Simple acts like these change the lives of people and bring us true Joy. These acts of love become our source of energy to continue, no matter the tiredness or the difficulties, we recognize Jesus who is with us all the way and we become like him, simple and willing to offer oneself for the others. Here is where we find true joy.
Almighty God, help us to fulfill our mission to bring Good News to the whole world and find true Joy only in you and your will. Amen.
Reflection Questions
- In what ways does true joy differ from the temporary happiness often portrayed on social media, and how can we cultivate that deeper joy in our daily lives?
- How can acts of selfless service, especially toward strangers or those in need, transform our understanding of joy and bring us closer to the example of Christ?
