Jesus rejoices and thanks His Almighty Father at the return of His 70 men. Every Catholic man can grow in happiness by building the Virtue of Hope so he can always have steadfast trust in the Lord’s Dominion and by seeking the Fruit of Joy from the Holy Spirit so he can return to Jesus and receive joy to overcome sorrows in his life.
Liturgy
26th Week in Ordinary time – Saturday – Lk 10:17-24
Commentary
After commissioning 70 handpicked men to preach the Gospel to many villages in Galilee, Jesus welcomes His men back, rejoicing that His Kingdom has been preached. Granting His disciples superhuman powers, including immunity from deadly snakes and scorpions, and the attacks of the enemy (Satan), Jesus warns the men to not rejoice in the powers granted, but to rejoice because He will reward them by making them saints in Heaven.
Turning to God the Father, from whom all blessings flow, Jesus rejoices that God’s great plan of Salvation History is being accomplished. In just a few short lines, Jesus’ prayer to God the Father is a powerful blessing to those who hear, revealing the closeness and perfect love between the Father and the Son. Jesus reveals His perfect obedience to, and reverence for, God the Father. Jesus expresses His heart-deep thanks for His Father’s blessings. He confirms God the Father’s absolute dominion over all Creation, and that the Father has given this infinite power to Jesus.
As Jesus prays, He reveals through His example how men can approach God the Father in prayer, by praying with deep gratitude for the blessings the Father has bestowed on men. Jesus warns men that God the Father hides Himself from the arrogant (the self-proclaimed “wise”), but through His gracious mercy, He reveals Himself to the innocent (infants). Because Jesus is the only Son of God the Father, He is the only source of the wisdom of how to draw close to the Father. After Jesus’ prayer, He privately reveals to the disciples the profound blessing they have been given in their witness of His prayer in the Holy Spirit to God the Father.
Be awed by Jesus Christ
Ponder in your heart, the astounding truth which Jesus, Son of the Father, reveals in His Prayer of Thanksgiving (CCC 2637-2638) to the Father (CCC 2603): though appearing with a Human Nature (flesh and blood), Jesus is a Divine Person of the Trinity with Authority and Dominion over all Creation; as the Son, Jesus is in perfect union with the Father and has exclusive Divine Knowledge of the Father, for which He Rejoices; the Son reveals the startling truth that the Father is selective, mysteriously allowing some to come to faith while to others, faith is hidden; Jesus confirms that He is the exclusive way for men to come to the Father (eternal salvation).
Have steadfast hope in the Lord’s Dominion
Realize: With the world in sinful descent and the Church’s catastrophic loss of men, it is tempting to lose hope; when men lose hope, Satan wins. Every Catholic man must remain resolute in his hope in Jesus and His Church so he can remain personally strong and be an effective witness to others.
Believe: Rejoice that Jesus reveals Satan will not triumph over God’s Holy Catholic Church (CCC 391-395, 760).
Pray: Jesus, King of the Church, help me build the Virtue of Hope so I am always filled with resilient confidence in You, and have steadfast hope that Your Dominion is being perfectly accomplished in Your Holy Catholic Church.
Return to Jesus to receive Joy and overcome sorrow
Realize: Knowing the truth about Jesus and His Holy Catholic Church fills a man with joy; those who are frequently filled with despair, anger and fear, are in some way, missing Jesus.
Believe: Reflect upon Joy (CCC 30, 160, 301, 795, 1054, 1820-1821, 2015, 2174).
Pray: Holy Spirit, give me the Fruit of Joy so I can turn from sorrow and thank Jesus, my Lord and Savior, for blessing me to be a Catholic man.