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At that time the Lord appointed seventy-two others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money, bag, no sack, no sandals and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another. Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’”
Reflection
“And rest assured … if you lean with all your weight upon Providence, you will find yourselves well supported.” – Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, in a letter to the Sisters of Providence in Jasper, Indiana, March 20, 1843
One theme of the Sunday Gospel readings throughout this month of July is trusting in Providence. Jesus offers us a handful of lessons from different perspectives and real-life angles that help us consider what the words of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin mean, both in the quote above and in several other places where she wrote to her Sisters and friends about the uniquely secure foundation we find in Providence.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus sends disciples out to spread the good news and instructs them to not worry about their basic needs; it will all fall into place. In another instance, Mother Theodore relates to a basic concern that many people have today: “We have but one dollar remaining … and we did not know where to get a cent for the wants of the house. Still, how could I mistrust Divine Providence?”
This quote comes from a February 1843 letter to Bishop Bouvier of Le Mans, France, thanking him for sending one thousand francs at a dire time for the fledgling community in the Indiana wilderness. How often do we wonder how an overwhelming situation is going to work out when we can’t even find peace of mind over sometimes smaller matters? God will provide, one way or another, often from sources that surprise us just in time.
Another note in today’s Gospel is that Jesus sent out 72 disciples in pairs. I don’t believe we come across that number anywhere else, but I had to satisfy my own curiosity. Hebrew scholars attribute a “totality” or “sense of completeness” to the number 72, noting that throughout the Old Testament, there are 72 names given of God which reflect the harmony that is intended to exist in the cycles of Creation.
I don’t believe it is mere coincidence that Jesus is sending 72 disciples out on the first major mission-lesson in trusting Providence that we see in the New Testament, and they didn’t have to go alone – neither do we.
In the few weeks ahead, we’ll take a closer look at the examples we have of total and complete reliance on God’s love and how that might manifest through others.
Action
This week, take some time to consider those areas of your life that may easily be consumed by worry. Whether it’s finances, health, family or headlines in the news, how can you turn to the Providence of God to ease this stress?
Brad Crites is a Providence Associate and former webmaster and adjunct faculty member at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. He specializes in teaching and learning as well as organizational culture and change dynamics. He is committed to philanthropy and community development as a Lilly Scholar Alumnus. He currently works for Purdue University as an Educational Technology Consultant. Brad lives with his wife, Tiffany, and their children, Brooklyn, Brett, and Brentley on their historic family farm near Solsberry, Indiana.
