The joy of restoration and rehabilitation!

July 06, 2025 Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Daily Readings: Isaiah 66:10-14c; Galatians 6:14-18; Luke 10:1-12, 17-20 (Luke 10:1-9)

Life in God or life in the Spirit radically transforms believers, calling them to live beyond the confines of worldly norms. They do not seek comfort or approval from the world. Instead, they embody a selfless way of living, for their true joy and peace comes from service. These divine gifts, joy and peace, are beyond comparison. Such believers are entrusted with drawing others closer to God, embracing a life of servanthood in the Church.

The first reading from the Third Isaiah overflows with joy and celebration. After seventy years of exile, the people of Israel finally return home (cf. Isa 61:3, 7, 10; 65:13–19). The text breathes with hope, renewal, and prosperity as the returnees enter a season of rebuilding. The prophet uses feminine imagery to describe Jerusalem, the restored city, a common motif in the ancient world. Remarkably, Isaiah portrays God with maternal qualities (cf. Isa 42:14; 45:10; 49:15), comforting His people like a mother comforts her child. God’s presence ensures not only spiritual consolation but also physical well-being. These returning exiles are God’s servants, a renewed creation!

St. Paul, too, sees himself as a new creation, reborn through the crucified Christ. The joy he now possesses surpasses all worldly attachments. The cross of Christ has enabled Paul to crucify his former values, desires, and ambitions. It has the power to make believers new. Paul now lives by the Spirit, not by the Law alone. He urges us to anchor our lives in faith and love, firm foundations for a truly transformed life.

In today’s Gospel, unique to Luke, Jesus sends out seventy-two disciples in pairs. (Some manuscripts mention seventy.) These disciples are sent ahead to the places Jesus Himself would visit. They are to preach, heal, and bring peace, but the focus lies on three key elements:
(i) Their lifestyle, marked by total dependence on divine providence, forsaking worldly comforts.
(ii) The urgency of their mission, they must act swiftly and faithfully.
(iii) Their call to multiply labourers for God’s harvest, the mission field is vast, but the workers are few.

This passage starkly reflects today’s reality. Vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life are dwindling. Worldly allurements and shifting value systems have redefined the priorities of modern youth. We need divine intervention—and perhaps more importantly, we must give God permission to work in and through us.

Call to Action: 

Let God renew you by His Spirit—live joyfully, serve selflessly, and pray for more labourers in His harvest.