Twenty-Sixth Saturday of Ordinary Time

The seventy-two disciples returned rejoicing and said to Jesus, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.” Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky. Behold, I have given you the power ‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

We shouldn’t rejoice in our gifts from God to the exclusion of being gracious for God’s saving grace. God gives gifts to all His children. However, only those who recognize His voice in their hearts and follow it will be given the grace of everlasting life. We can have all the talents and treasures in the world, but without a spirit of humble contrition and endless gratitude, we won’t be able to accept the saving grace God offers us. We must open ourselves in order to receive this grace and that means focusing our lives not on our successes, but rather on the spirit of love behind our actions.

What gifts have God given us? Do we rejoice not only in those gifts, but in the saving grace God’s given us? In what spirit do we speak our words and do our works?

O Lord, write our names in heaven.

Amen.