Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me (Lk 10:16).

Jesus continues to prepare the 72 as they go out to proclaim his message of repentance. This echoes Mark’s recording of Jesus’ missionary statement: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mk 1:15). This may sound like a Debbie downer of a message, but it is actually the road map, the passage that will lead us from the darkness of slavery steeped in our own sin to the light of truth and freedom in Christ.

Sin is any actively contemplated thought, word, or action that we knowingly know goes against the will of God and we freely choose to act on it anyway. This is why many of us prefer the darkness to the light, because we do not have to see and name our sin. We hold on to apparent goods that we believe make us happy and fulfill us, when in actuality they are empty promises that we quickly realize do not bring any happiness once the emotion or passion of the moment or experience wanes. So we seek more to fill the void. We are setting the stage for ensnarement and addiction. But if we repent, turn away from the darkness and back to the light of God’s truth, trust in his willing our good, we can be healed and begin to live a life to the full.

We as servants of the Lord who have repented, said yes to building a relationship with him, and continue to examine our conscience to see clearer our sin, are called to bring the light of truth to those we meet. This does not mean we are perfect. The only difference is that we are more aware of our sin, because we are incrementally willing to come into his light. The more of the light of Christ we are willing to embrace, the more our sin is revealed to us. We are seeking healing and wanting to share that healing balm we have received from Jesus with others.

We need to resist the temptation to go forth and wag thy finger of judgment. For then we are only a darker storm cloud approaching those living in the shadows, in which those we seek to provide healing will either draw deeper into their own shell or come out fighting seeking to cast us away. We are to instead encounter one another with understanding, mercy, patience, grace, and love. We need to remember that in the beginning, our light needs to be soft, like the morning dawn, so as not to blind those who we seek to provide invitation to, those to whom we call from the shadows.

We are to embody and sing the Canticle of Zechariah, father of John the Baptist: “In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace” (Lk 1:76-79). We are to prepare the way for others to encounter Jesus, not be barriers preventing access to him.

Jesus, may we meet those you place in our path this day with warmth, welcome, and joy. May we respect the person before us; accept them, be present to them, so they may know that they exist, that they matter, that they are loved as you love us. May we help others know that they are not alone. May we be like the first light of dawn to help awaken those in the darkness of their pain, suffering, and sin, so to light the path to an encounter and embrace with you; our Truth, our Way, and our Life.

Link to Mass readings:

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/100617.cfm

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