Meditation of His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa for the XIV Sunday of Ordinary Time C

Published from the Website of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

You can find below the Meditation of His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, for the XIV Sunday of Ordinary Time C, on Sunday 6 July 2025.

Lk 10:1-12,17-20 

The context of the Gospel we read today (Lk 10:1-12,17-20) is that of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem.

A few verses earlier, the evangelist Luke reports that Jesus makes the firm decision to set off for Jerusalem (Lk 9:51) and immediately sends his disciples off to prepare for his arrival from village to village (Lk 9:52). Luke had also already reported on the first mission of the twelve in chapter 9 (Lk 9:1-6), so one might think that this is something particularly important for the evangelist.

Let us first turn to the opening verse, where we read that the “the Lord appointed seventy-two others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit” (Lk 10:1).

In the text, Jesus explicitly says that his disciples were to go and announce his arrival (ahead of him in pairs to every town and place). The mission of the seventy-two therefore has no other purpose than to announce the coming of the Lord. This is the content of the proclamation that reaches everyone with the good news that the Lord is coming.

This is the central element of today’s text. The mission of the Church is necessary, but not because it produces something, not because it has something to offer, not because it can solve the problems of humanity. It is central simply because it is called to go everywhere and say that there, right there, the Lord is coming. And this announcement must be made in a very special way, because only then will the Church be a sign, a foretaste of what will happen. It will then no longer be so important what it does. The content will always be the same: the coming of Christ in the world, his presence. What Jesus is referring to and what is important is the way in which this announcement will be made. That will be what Jesus attaches the most importance to.

We can only recognize a few traits of this manner, of this style.

The first attitude with which the disciples will announce the coming of the Lord is meekness: the disciples are sent like lambs in the midst of wolves (“I am sending you like lambs among wolves” - Lk 10:3). The disciples are free from the illusion that evil can be overcome through coercion and violence.

Disciples are also free from all forms of power and do not impose anything, not even peace (“Into whatever house you enter, first say, «Peace to this household»”- Lk 10:5).

They offer it to everyone, but if peace is not accepted, the disciples do not judge, they do not accuse, they do not wage war. They keep peace within themselves (“If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you” - Lk 10:6) so that it is not lost and so that they can offer it again in the next house they enter.

Then the disciples are sent out two by two (“he sent ahead of him in pairs” - Lk 10:1). Mission is not a solitary event, but always a fraternal event. And this is because the salvation that the Lord wants to bring to all people is first and foremost a liberation from selfishness, from loneliness. You walk together with a brother because salvation for everyone happens through relationship, encounter and friendship. In brotherhood, we learn to no longer live out of ourselves.

Finally, the mission of the disciples is characterized by joy (“The seventy-two returned rejoicing” - Lk 10:17). A very special joy, because it does not depend on the results of the mission…

This Meditation was originally published on the Website of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Please click here to read the full text.