Memorial of Bl. Francis Xavier Seelos
The seventy-two disciples that Jesus sent out to prepare his way represent the laymen and women in the Church today. He, more than anyone else, realized how difficult the task would be to preach his Gospel. Read his words of instruction. They are still pertinent today.
He stressed the enormity of the work to be done with the small number of workers to do it. Such a proportion must have engendered discouragement. But it was really an appeal to prayer. And prayer leads to self-knowledge.
The disciple then, and the disciple now knows his or her limitations, but prays that the Lord make him or her a co-worker, a collaborator in spreading the Gospel to others.
Women were chiefly responsible for the spread of the Church in the early ages. Women today in Catholic Latin America are chiefly responsible for the spread of Pentecostal churches.
Through the intercession of Mary, I will pray today for an increase of lay disciples, especially women, that they receive peace from prayer so as to say “Peace to this household” in spreading the Gospel message.