Luke 10:1-12,17-20The Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them out ahead of him, in pairs, to all the towns and places he himself was to visit. He said to them, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest. Start off now, but remember, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road.

‘Whatever house you go into, let your first words be, “Peace to this house!” And if a man of peace lives there, your peace will go and rest on him; if not, it will come back to you. Stay in the same house, taking what food and drink they have to offer, for the labourer deserves his wages; do not move from house to house.

‘Whenever you go into a town where they make you welcome, eat what is set before you. Cure those in it who are sick, and say, “The kingdom of God is very near to you.” But whenever you enter a town and they do not make you welcome, go out into its streets and say, “We wipe off the very dust of your town that clings to our feet, and leave it with you. Yet be sure of this: the kingdom of God is very near.” I tell you, on that day it will not go as hard with Sodom as with that town.’

The seventy-two came back rejoicing. ‘Lord,’ they said ‘even the devils submit to us when we use your name.’ He said to them, ‘I watched Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Yes, I have given you power to tread underfoot serpents and scorpions and the whole strength of the enemy; nothing shall ever hurt you. Yet do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you; rejoice rather that your names are written in heaven.’

 ReflectionThe “seventy two others” were among the first evangelists. They received their instructions from Jesus himself. He told them not to take any personal belongings other than what they were wearing, no money, no bag. Their words, their lives, their passion and their perseverance were the tools for their mission.  

CDs, programmes, training, and other props have somehow become essential for evangelization and many other aspects of the Church’s mission. No doubt they can be useful, but the busyness involved in creating them tends to obscure the simplicity of Jesus’ recipe for evangelization – seventy-two people with faith, passion, a voice and a willingness to persevere. There was no programme, just people who had encountered Christ and were willing to tell the world about him. 

Evangelization can seem very difficult in a world which is largely indifferent – and even hostile – to Christ. It is much easier to burrow into our parishes and organizations, safe among people like ourselves, and to hope that is all there is to discipleship. But every follower of Christ is called to go out to others as the seventy-two did, and how to do that in our society can be very perplexing.  

The way Jesus appointed and briefed his evangelists provides clues. Firstly, we have to have encountered Christ and be working on continuing that encounter in prayer and in the events of our lives. Secondly, the seventy-two went to local towns and villages and they probably came from many of those places. There is no need to go a long distance – families, workplaces, communities are the priority for evangelization. Thirdly, we need a light grip on possessions and money, so that they are not continually occupying our thoughts and preventing us from recognizing opportunities for evangelization. 

Jesus probably said much more to the seventy two than has been recorded in the gospels. They would have listened to him, and taken his instructions and advice seriously.  

We too need to practise prayerful listening and develop an openness to opportunities that might appear. Often those opportunities may not involve speaking about Christ at all, but simply be an opportunity to help another make a good decision, to be a better person, to resolve a difficulty, to forgive, or to deal with sorrow or grief.  

There is often a long path towards goodness before the life-changing encounter with Christ happens. The presence of evangelists is needed at every step along that path.