Saturday, October 1, 2016

“There is nothing more pure and beautiful than a person who always speaks truthfully with a childlike heart.”


Those whose hearts are pure are the temples of the Holy Spirit.
-- St. Lucy: (283–304: was a young Christian martyr who died during the Diocletianic Persecution)

Gospel Text: (LK 10:17-24)
The seventy-two disciples returned rejoicing and said to Jesus,
“Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.”
Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.
Behold, I have given you the power
‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions
and upon the full force of the enemy
and nothing will harm you.
Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you,
but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

At that very moment he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,
“I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows who the Son is except the Father,
and who the Father is except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”

Turning to the disciples in private he said,
“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
For I say to you,
many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”

In the Gospel reading, the seventy-two disciples had just come back from their mission and were overjoyed at the miracles and wonders they had witnessed. Jesus tells them not to rejoice because the demons submit to them but that their names are written in heaven.  Jesus wants the disciples to understand that all graces come from God and are gifts given to men out of the love of the Father.  He tells them to rejoice instead that God had favored them with such graces. 


For Jesus only the simple and pure of heart can receive the graces he and his Father give. Are you simple and humble of heart?

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