1. May God give us peace
2. We are in the year of faith as the Accra Archdiocese  celebrates 120 years.
3. A Christian demonstrates his faith & live in peace.
4. All 3 reading have the word Peace, Shalom within it and directs us to Shalom.
5. In the 1st reading after the period of exile God grants Israel freedom. In the reading we hear “For thus says the LORD: Lo, I will spread shalom over Jerusalem like a river, and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing torrent.” With Jews they greet shalom & it means all the good things we can wish for ourselves.
6. Christ sends us as lambs among wolves, but Christ tells us to still say shalom & our shalom will return if the person is peaceable.
7. But Christ says to us is “Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” It is about how much peace we are able to give the world through Christ.
8. We need to know what shalom is & should  be part of the missionary work. So besides the Apostles  the Priest and Religious, represnted by the 12, we, represented by the additional 72 are all sent to go out & give shalom to the world.
9. Peace is divine & is God Himself. It is the reason why Christ thought that Blessed are the Peacemakers …
10. At Christmas the angles song was glory to God in the highest heaven & peace to men on earth.
11. So we are to promote peace on earth.
12. At the feeding of the men with bread, Christ thanked God & glorified Him & gave the bread to to the people & gave them peace. The two should go together, as we Glorify God we should give Peace to men. It is the  2 sides of the same coin.
13. We cannot glorify God when we are not promoting peace.
14. We are sent out as missionaries to send peace to the world.
15. On Sunday we all in church crying out glory glory glory, but after that where is the peace.
16. We cannot see church as societies singing, praying, but not practicing & living the peace that should come with it.

LITURGY OF THE WORD
FIRST READING
Isaiah 66:10–14c

Thus says the LORD:
Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad because of her, all you who love her; exult, exult with her, all you who were mourning over her! Oh, that you may suck fully of the milk of her comfort, that you may nurse with delight at her abundant breasts! For thus says the LORD: Lo, I will spread prosperity over Jerusalem like a river, and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing torrent. As nurslings, you shall be carried in her arms, and fondled in her lap; as a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; in Jerusalem you shall find your comfort.

When you see this, your heart shall rejoice and your bodies flourish like the grass; the LORD’s power shall be known to his servants.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 66:1–3, 4–5, 6–7, 16, 20 (1)

R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Shout joyfully to God, all the earth; sing praise to the glory of his name; proclaim his glorious praise. Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds!”

R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

“Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you, sing praise to your name!” Come and see the works of God, his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.

R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

He changed the sea into dry land; through the river they passed on foot; therefore let us rejoice in him. He rules by his might forever.

R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare what he has done for me. Blessed be God who refused me not my prayer or his kindness!

R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

SECOND READING
Galaltians 6:14–18

Brothers and sisters:
May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither does circumcision mean anything, nor does uncircumcision, but only a new creation. Peace and mercy be to all who follow this rule and to the Israel of God.

From now on, let no one make troubles for me; for I bear the marks of Jesus on my body.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.

ALLELUIA
Colossians 3:15a, 16a

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Let the peace of Christ control your hearts; let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL
Longer Form Luke 10:1–12, 17–20

At that time the Lord appointed seventy-two others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another. Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’ Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, ‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.’ Yet know this: the kingdom of God is at hand. I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town.”

The seventy-two returned rejoicing, and said, “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.”

This post has already been read 1105 times!