The opening line of today’s gospel brings to mind an incident that happened to me 35 years ago on a hot muggy summer afternoon in South Dakota. My friend, Fr. Jay and I were visiting his sister, Joan. He arranged for two friends to meet us there; one was a classmate from Wisconsin, the other a Baptist minister living in Dallas, Texas.
While we were chatting, the doorbell rang. Excusing herself, Joan got up to see who was there. Soon we heard her moan, “Give me a break! I have three Catholic priests and a Baptist minister in my living room!” When she returned, Fr. Jay asked her what the commotion was all about. She muttered, “ Two Jehovah’s witnesses!”
Don’t fret. I have no intention of appointing any of you to leave here after Mass in pairs to proclaim the merits of our Catholic faith to the local community, certainly not, with the instructions that Jesus laid down, carrying no money bag, sack, or sandals. Unlike some religious cults, going from house to house in pairs has not been a tradition in our Church, certainly not here in this country.
Nonetheless, the mission of spreading the Good News, known as evangelization, is entrusted to all of us, not just the ordained. At the end of every Mass, you are sent forth to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ by conveying his peace to others. Sometimes the celebrant says, “The Mass is ended, go in peace to love and serve the Lord.”
Peace comes from knowing that God loves you. Peace comes from knowing that Jesus died for our sins. Peace comes from knowing that when all is said and done, the right relationship with Jesus is what matters. Peace comes from knowing that Jesus desires us to be with him now and forever.
We should embrace the gospel message of peace with our whole being. Take to heart the advice you hear. It is not simply a document to be listened to at Mass and admired. The gospel should be as profound to us, if not more so, than the Declaration of Independence.
Embracing the gospel involves making Jesus the Lord of our lives, entering into a personal and intimate relationship with him. For some of us, the notion of totally surrendering to Jesus seems so farfetched given that we are accustomed to doing as we please here and now. Yet if he is our lord, then we are his servants, willing to be his disciples and share the Good News by what we say and do.
Embracing the gospels compels us to work for the coming of the kingdom, which is the goal of evangelization. Sometimes we lose sight of why we have religion in our lives. Many Christians view religion only as the means of getting to heaven by following its rules and regulations. Paul points out however that what matters in our relationship with God is not the observance of ritual requisites but our willingness to be created anew.
We become a new creation when we allow Jesus to become real in our lives. When that happens, we would want to do what the seventy-two disciples did. Go forth and share the good news that the gospel is relevant and can make a real difference in our lives and our world.
The seventy-two brought the good news to those in their immediate world. They conveyed the message that Jesus was transforming the world. They showed that evil was defeated by curing the sick and expelling demons. When they returned filled with joy, Jesus rejoiced with them.
We are the seventy-two today, sent forth at the end of Mass to proclaim the good news that Jesus Christ has conquered evil. So how is Jesus expecting us to do that? For starters, we expel the evil of selfishness with generosity. We expel the demon of loneliness with hospitality.
So often we think of the kingdom of God as something in the distant future, but the kingdom happens here and now when we strive to be God’s instruments of peace and hope. Jesus said, “Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’” Work quietly, realizing that even the smallest act of forgiveness can make a difference in the lives of at least two people: you and the person you are forgiving; or you and the person seeking to forgive you.
Any act of forgiveness is a significant step toward building peace. Like the stones dropped into a pool, its effects will ripple beyond our sight. Forgiveness is the best form of love. It takes a strong person to apologize and an even stronger person to forgive.
In the beatitudes Jesus tells his listeners, “Blessed are the peacemakers.” He didn’t say peace lovers. Those who dare to make peace are the ones who make a difference. They are the ones who quietly evangelize the world around them, making Jesus very real not only for themselves but for others as well. By doing this, they are the ones who are blessed; the ones who will find their names written in heaven.