Daily Gospel Reflection for October 18, 2016 - St. Luke

Today's Gospel: Luke 10, 1-9 - St. Luke

Jesus sends the seventy disciples out and tells them to “carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way.” He reminds them of the importance of their mission and directs them to stay focused.

I can imagine how the disciples must have felt when they heard these instructions. There they were, going out into the world with nothing but a reliance on Jesus and on the kindness of strangers. I’m sure some of the seventy were afraid, at least in part. But they were also excited because they knew what they were doing mattered. They knew their mission was critical. They wanted to stay focused on proclaiming Jesus, and they trusted in Him that a money bag, a sack, or sandals could truly become distractions.

When we get bogged down in the daily details of life, we can forget our mission. As Catholics, wives, mothers, and all our other roles, we have so many responsibilities. There is always something that can command our attention, and often, there are several things at once clamoring for our eyes, ears, and energy.

We have to remember what matters. Like the seventy, we need to rely on God to sustain us in our daily lives. When we focus on our mission, we can better see how the details of life fall in line with - or distract us from - what God is asking us to do.

Ponder:

What distractions have been keeping me from doing what God is asking me to do? How best can I focus on my mission today?

Pray:

Dear Lord, You send us out into the world like lambs, and You are our Good Shepherd. Lead us and guide us so that we may remain faithful to Your Word and to the mission You have set out for us. Help us to avoid the distractions that lead us astray, and allow us to remain focused on You today and every day. Amen.

Copyright 2016 Kathryn Callahan

Kathryn Callahan is a lifelong Catholic, wife, and mother. She enjoys running, reading, and dancing in the kitchen and living room with her husband and kids. She lives with her family in North Carolina.