God's word grows like a seed within us,

and then share the abundant fruit of God's word in their lives with others.

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊ 

2 Timothy 4:10-17b

 You must know

That Demas has deserted me for the love of this world: he returned to Thessa­lonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia and Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke remains with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is a useful helper in my work. sent Tychicus to Ephe­sus.

Bring with you the cloak I left at Troas, in Carpos’ house and also the scrolls, especially the parchments. Alexander the metalworker has caused me great harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. Distrust him for he has been very much opposed to our preaching.

At my first hearing in court no one supported me; all deserted me. May the Lord not hold it against them. But the Lord was at my side, giving me strength to proclaim the Word fully, and let all the pagans hear it.

 

Ps 145:10-11, 12-13, 17-18

Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊   

Luke 10:1-9

 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.’

 

Gospel Reflection：

Cultivating Sense of Vocation

When the harvest is plentiful, will the Lord of the harvest refuse to send laborers to reap the harvest? Absolutely not! So if we have shortage of vocations, perhaps it is not God who is failing us, but we are failing him by our multi-layered ‘no’ to his call.

God continues to call people to work in his vineyard; but we are either so busy with our own worldly affairs, like those quests invited to the marriage feast (cf. LK 14:15-24) or are totally oblivious to the call.

In many parishes, we hold special prayers and adoration for increase in vocations to priesthood and religious life; but honestly speaking, how many parents encourage their children to consider such a vocation?

Of course, one can work for God’s kingdom in manifold ways as a layperson; but do we cultivate in our children this sense of vocation to witness to Christ in the secular world as lay members of Christ’s Church? May St. Luke’s life inspire us.