Return and Discern

Gospel: Luke 10: 17-24

Earlier in the chapter, Jesus appoints seventy-two disciples to go out and visit towns, providing them with healing, liberation from their demons, and feeding.  They became an extension of Jesus' work in the world.  In today's portion, the disciples return from their work rejoicing in the great things they had experienced in their work.  They felt great joy in participating in the Lord's work of mercy and care for others.  

At the same time, they came to reflect and listen to what the Lord has to say about our work.  So, after giving thanks and rejoicing in the work, they stop to listen to the Lord Jesus and his reflection on the work.  Our own experience and reflection on the work is important and necessary.  So too is the time spent in silence listening to God reflect on our work and what can be learned from our experience.

In our own work each day our life should follow this pattern.  We return each day to the Lord rejoicing in the work given to us and the experiences we gained.  We then should pause and listen in silence to what God reveals to us in this work and in these experiences.  In repeating this process day after day we come to grow in wisdom, love, and greater compassion for those we seek to heal, deliver, and nourish.