Tuesday Reflection written by Sr. Rosemary Finnegan, O.P.
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101822.cfm
Our Pope loves to tweet. In a tweet, only 140 characters are allowed. One of his tweets is this: “All of us who are baptized are missionary disciples. We are called to become a living Gospel in the world.” What a short powerful message. Pope Francis’ whole message in his letter “The Joy of the Gospel”, which he wrote just 8 months after his papal election, sets this vision and direction he has for the church in the world. He believes strongly that every Christian is a missionary to the extent that he or she has encountered the love of God in Jesus Christ. As we’ve seen by his very lifestyle and relationships with others, Pope Francis personally lives out this message. He says in this letter: ‘we no longer say that we are ‘disciples’ and ‘missionaries’, but rather that we are always ‘missionary disciples’. In virtue of their baptism, all members of the People of God have become ‘missionary disciples’. Here at SMM, we’ve been highlighting our role as ‘missionary disciples’ in one of our monthly liturgies, so I hope that term is somewhat familiar to you. And in Luke’s gospel today, Christ sends the 72 disciples out in pairs saying: “The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few.”
We can look to St. Luke as an example of a ‘missionary disciple’. St. Luke was a physician and well-educated man who faced the challenges and dangers of missionary life with compassion. He is credited with writing the third Gospel and Acts of the Apostles, and his Spirit inspired words reflect this compassion. Luke was a talented storyteller who not only expanded many of the events found in earlier Gospels, but also provides rich details in his unique accounts. He is the only one who tell us about Jesus’ mercy to Zaccheus, the outcast tax collector. He’s also the only one who tells us about the prodigal son. When women didn’t matter much, it was Luke who told the nativity story from Mary’s point of view. He also writes of Elizabeth, Anna and the woman who anointed Jesus’ feet. His gospel also expresses the importance of prayer and the role of the Holy Spirit in Christian life.
He was a disciple and friend of Paul, who befriended the poor. As we read his gospel, Luke still inspires us to care about the vulnerable, neglected, forgotten and outcast people in our world today.
We may not be called to serve in other countries, but we are called like Luke, to live out the heart of the Gospel in whatever circumstances we find ourselves. Remember Francis’ tweet: “All of us who are baptized are missionary disciples. We are called to become a living Gospel in the world.”
Let us thank God this day for St. Luke’s splendid example of loving service and ask that we may too be inspired to become true ‘missionary disciples’ who serve others, especially those who suffer in the shadows.
