FOURTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
6 JULY 2025
Saint
Paul tells the Galatians that he bears the marks of Jesus on his body. The Latin word for marks is stigmata, the source of our English word
“stigma.” The Galatians could have
understood those marks as tattoos, like those emblazoned on slaves in their
day. But Paul was never a slave. Or they could have connected those marks as
scars that soldiers bore on their bodies when they returned from war. They were signs of wounds inflicted on them
in a battle. Certainly, Saint Paul had
born wounds on his body from the stoning he received in Lystra or from the many
beatings inflicted on his body. They
certainly had left a mark. Today, some
readers of Scripture interpret those marks as stigmata in his hands and feet
from the wounds of Jesus on the cross, like the ones which Saint Francis or
Padre Pio received.
We may not
have tattoos or battle scars or the physical wounds of the crucified Christ on
our physical bodies. However, we have
been marked in two ways. We were marked
first by the Lord Jesus when we were baptized.
The Lord wrote our names in the palm of his hand and claimed us as his
own. We were marked with the sign of the
cross, which we carry throughout our lives, allowing us to drink fully from the
abundant milk and goodness of the Lord.
The second
mark is one recorded in eternity. Jesus
tells the 72 disciples returning from their successful mission that they can “…
rejoice because their names are written in heaven.” In giving this mark, Jesus echoes a Jewish
tradition of a ceremony on the Day of Atonement. When families participated in this annual
sacrifice, the priest would write their names in the “book of life.” Jesus indicates something similar has
happened to us. Because we bear his
mark, our names are recorded in the heavenly book of life.
We too have
received these marks, passed on over the centuries to us. He sends 72 of his disciples out on a
mission, walking two by two. Instead of
taking a lot of stuff, they are simply to proclaim peace (shalom) as a sign of
the kingdom of God. He predicts that
some people will welcome this gift, while others will reject it. As sheep in the midst of wolves, they may
even be mistreated. But his peace will
remain with them. We continue to receive
that peace as a result of the mission of those original 72 disciples.
Like those
original disciples, the Lord has just spoken to us in his Word. He will feed us with his Body and Blood. Then we will be sent out of this Mass on the
same mission. In our parish, we already
see this mission being accomplished.
Members of our Saint Vincent de Paul Society go out two by two every
week to meet the needs of the poor. They
may take food. But the more important
gift is the peace of the Lord Jesus. Our
soup kitchen feeds people in the neighborhood three times a week, not just
giving soup and sandwiches, but giving the peace of Jesus Christ. Deacon Mel and I are considering the offer of
466 Works to begin building affordable houses in our neighborhood, hopefully bringing
Christ’s gift of peace.
Both the
Saint Vincent de Paul Society and the soup kitchen can use more
volunteers. If our parish decides to be
part of 466 Works, we will need more volunteers. I would argue that the Lord offers these
specific missions to us this morning. Jesus
gives the same message to us that he gives to the original 72: “The harvest is
abundant but the laborers are few.”
Whether we step forward to be part of these parish missions or not, each
of us are sent from this Mass to proclaim peace and the good news that the
kingdom of God is at hand. “Peace” was
the first word Jesus spoke to his disciples after the resurrection. “Peace” was the first word of Pope Leo after
he was elected. Peace is the gift all of
us can give. We don’t need lots of
stuff. We need to convey peace through
our words and actions. Our names are
written in the book of life in heaven.
