Readings (Year C):
Isaiah 66:10 – 14c
Psalm 66:1 – 3, 4 – 5, 6 – 7, 16, 20
Galatians 6:14 – 18
Luke 10:1 – 12, 17 – 20
Reflection: God gives us comfort for our mission
Last summer I visited my friend Kate and her toddler son Benny. We made an afternoon visit to a large local playground near their home. With a child’s curiosity, Benny took in the swings, the slides, the spinners, the sensory panels as well as the other kids of all ages. Then he set out to play and explore while Kate and I watched from several feet away.
Every so often, Benny faced something that pushed him outside of his comfort zone: some playground equipment he didn’t know what to do with, steps that he wasn’t sure he could climb with his short little legs. When he saw some rowdy bigger kids making noise in a different part of the playground, he looked back at us, seeking his mom’s familiar face.
“I’m here, Benny!” Kate said with a warm smile. Their eyes connected and he took in the truth: Mom right here, she’s watching me, she’s loving me, she’s delighting in me.
The uplifting words from his mother, the reassurance of her presence, and her caring gaze soothed him. I watched as he turned back to the playground, energized to face whatever was before him. This cycle repeated itself several times that afternoon: Benny setting out, turning back when he just needed to know that mom’s right there, watching and caring for him and cheering him on.
The prophet Isaiah offers us the image of God as a mother who nurtures, nourishes, comforts, and carries God’s people. And this is paired with Luke’s account of Jesus sending out two by two seventy-two followers to proclaim God’s reign and to heal. The task before them is risky, and Jesus tells them to go out vulnerably, like lambs among wolves: no money bag, no sack, no sandals, relying on the generosity of others for food and shelter.
What’s more is that Jesus acknowledges they’ll face resistance in their mission. After all, why else would he tell them to shake the dust from their feet if they aren’t received?
Jesus’ words of commissioning are offered to me and to you and to all of us today. We, too, are sent as pilgrims of hope: To speak words of shalom, wholeness. To bear witness to God’s reign of justice, peace, and joy. To respond to woundedness with compassion. And to share in hospitality with others—as we head into a world marked by distrust, individualism, greed, and division, where our words and presence may not be received and welcomed.
So perhaps Jesus’ words of commissioning point us back to Isaiah’s words of comfort. Stepping into the world each day, in relating to our families and friends, going online to see the local and national and global news, calling for truth and tolerance in a time of violence and discord, using our gifts to be of service—all this pushes us outside of our comfort zones. And if you’re anything like me, at times it’s overwhelming.
It’s then that we turn away from whatever challenge is before us and turn towards the truth of God’s presence and God’s providence. Whatever difficulty lies before us, God is there, watching us, loving us, and delighting in us. We can listen for God’s uplifting voice, seek the reassurance of God’s presence, and rest in God’s caring, compassion gaze before turning back to mission.
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