Lk 10, 17-24

• Previously Jesus had sent 72 disciples, now they return from their mission and they give an account of it. One can prove that the success of the mission is due to the experience of the superiority or better the supremacy of the name of Jesus in regard to the power of evil. The defeat of Satan coincides with the coming of the Kingdom: the disciples have seen it in their present mission. The diabolical forces have been weakened: the demons have submitted to the power of the name of Jesus. Such a conviction cannot be the foundation of their joy and the enthusiasm of their missionary witness; joy has its last root or origin in the fact of being known and loved by God. This does not mean that being protected by God and the relationship with him always places us in an advantageous situation in the face of the diabolical forces. Here is inserted the mediation of Jesus between God and us: “Look, I have given you power” (v. 19).

"I am sending my angel before you" (Ex 23,20)

Although the good God is sufficient to himself, nevertheless he make use of the ministry of the angels to govern the world... When we see God taking such care of our lives we conclude that our souls are something truly great and precious if he is to employ all that is greatest in his court for its preservation and sanctification. He has given us his Son to save us; this same Son... gives to each of us one, and even several angels, who are solely occupied in asking on our behalf the graces and helps to our salvation that we need... Oh, how little people know what they are and what they were made for! In Holy Scripture we read that the Lord said to his people: “See, I am sending an angel before you, to guard you on the way” (Ex 23,20)...

Luke 10:1-12

At first glance, today’s readings portray a Jesus who’s a bit difficult to recognize.  Here one reads of a Jesus laying down the law in no uncertain terms.  In sending out pairs of what today we might call advance men, he prescribes a whole list of explicit do’s and don’ts -- what to bring and what to wear, where to eat and sleep, what to say and when to be quiet.  He even instructs them how to act if they are shunned, including a warning of dire consequences.  Isn’t this same Jesus of patient compassion who loved to tweak the noses of the Jews’ religious leaders for their rigid enforcement of the law to the neglect of the true faith, justice and love that comes from the heart?

Job 9:1-12, 14-16; Psalm 88:10bc-11, 12-13, 14-15; Luke 9:57-62

The gospel reading for today speaks to us of discipleship.  Many people in Galilee and Judea were captivated by Jesus and became his disciples.  The disciples became devoted followers of Jesus. They accompanied him on his journeys throughout the countryside and towns of the land of Israel.  In this gospel St. Luke gives us examples of the first contact Jesus made with some who wanted to be his disciples.

Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14, or Revelation 12:7-12
Psalms 138:1-5
John 1:47-51

I love reflecting upon this day. There is a strange, popular fascination with angels today. A search of the web, or any religious book store, will turn up lots of angel statues, images, etc. This week I drove by a road side stand put up by a vendor of yard statues, who puts his wares up from time to time. I can't help but notice that his angel statues are always the first to sell out. I think it has to do with who angels have been and are for us today.

Luke 9:46-50

The Gospel for today addresses the question:  Who is the Greatest?  The setting is a discussion of Jesus with the disciples.  The text says: “An argument broke out among the disciples as to which one of them was the greatest.  Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he took a child, stood him by his side, and said to them:  “Whoever welcomes this child in my name, welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me, also welcomes the one who sent me.  For he who is least among you all is the greatest.”

Talk about being attentive to the presence of the Lord in our midst…….Jesus puts it very clearly to us:  God is present in everyone we meet.

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
FOR THE 106th WORLD DAY OF MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES 2020

[27 September 2020]

Like Jesus Christ, forced to flee.
Welcoming, protecting, promoting and integrating
internally displaced persons

 At the beginning of this year, in my Address to the members of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See, I pointed to the tragedy of internally displaced people as one of the challenges of our contemporary world: “Situations of conflict and humanitarian emergencies, aggravated by climate change, are increasing the numbers of displaced persons and affecting people already living in a state of dire poverty. Many of the countries experiencing these situations lack adequate structures for meeting the needs of the displaced” (9 January 2020).

Ezekiel 18:25-28
Psalm 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14
Philippians 2:1-11
Matthew 21:28-32

Today’s second reading, a passage from St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians, contains a hymn that early Christians presumably sung as they gathered to celebrate the Eucharist.  The hymn expresses a fundamental reality of our Christian lives: that Jesus is God and at the same time Jesus is a human being.