Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne: Archbishop: Homilies: Fourteenth Sunday of the Year

Mass Celebrated by Archbishop Denis Hart
at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne,
on Sunday, 8th July, 2001, at 11.00am

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

After he had trained the apostles and the seventy-two disciples, Jesus sent them out on a trial mission to teach people about the knowledge and love of God. The Gospel story today is intended to challenge us concerning our knowledge of Jesus and urges us to ask ourselves whether others can see him in us. Our personal meeting with Christ at the end of our life is one inescapable fact.

As we call to mind our sins, let us ask the Lord to show us sincerely our weaknesses and our gifts, that we may use them to draw others to the light and peace that only Christ can give.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today, people travel constantly all over the world. Before they go on a journey they often look for guidebooks, maps, charts of temperatures and rainfall, addresses and telephone numbers, timetables, information concerning the exchange rate for money. Many of the guidebooks tell us region by region the most important and interesting sites to visit.

When Jesus sent out the seventy-two whom he had been training for their first experience of telling others about Jesus, they were filled with the excitement of Christian life. They knew Jesus, they loved him. The kingdom he promised, the hope he gave to those who had lost hope, the comfort to the sick; all of these were wonderful things that they rushed out to tell people about. And yet, they were to go simply; no purse, no haversack, and no sandals; to stay where they were welcome, cure the sick, tell them that God’s kingdom is near.

The Lord gives us a challenge today. Each one of us is a personal, living witness of what God has done for us:

Each of us has many reasons for thanking God and we can really tell others that the Lord is near.

Right now each one of us have in our grasp the power to say words of encouragement, to speak the truth of God’s love, where it would be easier to deny that we are Catholic, to show patient endurance, or as Saint Paul puts it: "To show others the reason for the hope that is in us."

Jesus’ first followers found this an exciting experience. They came rushing to him and told him that even the devil submitted to them when they laid hands on people in God’s name.

When we listen to the beautiful words of today’s Gospel, we are in fact hearing Jesus himself. Luke uses the word "to hear" to mean more than just listening. A person who hears is expected to accept the message, to keep it in their life.

Jesus said his disciples were to demand a decision from their audience because being a disciple is something which is life giving for ourselves and for others. It is us as ordinary people, saying "Yes" to God’s unexpected invitation, and putting ourselves at his disposal to let his light shine – even through us – on others!

Wherever we are today let us remember that we are not just hearers, not just Catholics stamped with the life of Christ at baptism. We are disciples, followers who have something wonderful to tell, something we did not deserve, and yet something which God gives us so that others may come to life.

We too can show the way if we let God do it in us. Whether we do this by preaching in towns and villages throughout the world or by a quiet showing within our families and communities, our message is the same: "Shout joyfully to God all you on earth. Come and see the works of God."

The fact that you and I are alive today is the greatest proof that God loves us. The fact that we have hope for the future, that we bring joy to a world that has lost hope is our greatest recommendation and that will be possible if we trust Jesus and allow him to speak in us. Then we, like the seventy-two, will come back rejoicing at the wonderful things God does through us. Let us try it just once or twice this week and we too will have even greater reason to praise God.