Keeping Priorities Straight

 

 Luke 10:17-24

Blessed Are the Eyes That See What  You See

¹⁷ The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”

¹⁸ He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. ¹⁹ I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. ²⁰ However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

²¹ At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

²² “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

²³ Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. ²⁴ For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

The 72 were exuberant when they returned from their "first assignment" for not only did people receive their preaching and benefit from the miracles they performed but even the demons fled from their captives. Jesus is filled with joy at the news, but advises them to remain humble and simple as children, advice that still holds true in our time. We are seeing differences and divisions springing up all over, hoards of people ignoring the Gospel and abandoning our Churches...all denominations are experiencing this...money, "the root of all evil", has again become the god with the most disciples.  Such a scenario is doomed to failure. 

Today we celebrate the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary, which honors the intervention of Mary through the Rosary at the battle of Lepanto in 1571 when the totally outnumbered Christians defeated the Ottoman  fleet. May we again use the Rosary as our weapon in today's battle against secularism and corruption and join with the 72 in celebrating the marvelous workings of God's power over evil.

Dear God, as we honor the Rosary today and this whole month, may we trust as little children in its power to keep our priorities straight and overcome the forces of evil and indifference so prevalent in our world. Amen.