＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊    

Nehemiah 8:1-4a, 5-6, 7b-12*

(……..) Ezra brought the Law before the assembly,

Both men and women and all the children who could understand what was being read. It was the first day of the seventh month.   Ezra read the book before all of them from early morning until midday in the square facing the Water Gate; and all who heard were attentive to the Book of the Law.

 (……..) Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was in a higher place; and when he opened it, all the people stood.   Ezra blessed Yahweh, the great God; and all the people lifted up their hands and answered, “Amen! Amen!” And they bowed their heads to the ground.

(……) Then Ezra, the teacher of the Law, said to the people, “This day is dedicated to Yahweh, your God, so do not be sad or weep.” He said this because all wept when they heard the reading of the Law.  Then he said to them, “Go and eat rich foods, drink sweet wine and share with him who has nothing prepared.

This day is dedicated to the Lord, so do not be sad. The joy of Yahweh is our strength.”(……….)

 

Ps 19:8, 9, 11

The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊  

Luke 10:1-12

 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two other disciples and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place, where he himself was to go. And he said to them, “The har­vest is rich, but the workers are few.

So you must ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers to his harvest. Courage! I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Set off without purse or bag or sandals; and do not stop at the homes of those you know.

 Whatever house you enter, first bless them saying: ‘Peace to this house.’ If a friend of peace lives there, the peace shall rest upon that person. But if not, the blessing will return to you. Stay in that house eating and drinking at their table, for the worker deserves to be paid. Do not move from house to house.

When they welcome you in any town, eat what they offer you. Heal the sick who are there and say to them: ‘The kingdom of God has drawn near to you.’

 But in any town where you are not welcome, go to the marketplace and proclaim: ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off and leave with you. But know and be sure that the kingdom of God had come to you.’ I tell you that on the Judgment Day it will be better for Sodom than for this town.

 

Gospel Reflection：

Early on in the ministry, Jesus already sent His disciples to do mission. Perhaps the ministry is so big that Jesus has to rely on partners to cover bigger ground. This is the poverty embraced by the Son of God.

Humans like us, He self-limited His divinity so that He is also subject to time-space continuum. If He remained God, He could have effected salvation easily.

But God so loved the world that He gave up His only Son so that the salvation He brings is something that humans could understand and grasp. That is why Jesus has to labor like the rest of us. He has to depend on His collaborators to be able to be effective.

And so, if God who became human has to depend on a network of friends to effectively do His job, we too must have a group to support us in our endeavors. We cannot simply do it alone.