Pairs

For Tuesday, October 23rd

After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, “Peace to this house!” And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the labourer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.” But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, “Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.” I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that town.

 ‘Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But at the judgement it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades.

 ‘Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.’ Luke 10:1-16

It is so much better to me to have company and a companion in everything I do. I have

always liked working in teams, always liked the creativity and encouragement when

others are around. Laughter always erupts, trust is built, and huge things are accomplished

by a small team. As I prepare to leave the Diocese of Montana, I am sad to leave this

dynamic and creative team. Their hearts and lives are dedicated to service. I pray that

my next assignment will give me partners like these.

Jesus sends a multitude of folks out, two by two, in pairs. We don't know hoe these

dynamic duos were put together, we just know that that was how they went. They went

out with very little, expecting miracles, and miracles happened. We know that they

were told to expect rejection and cruelty, and yet they would also find generosity and

welcome. We are reminded that this is true in our walk in faith. Every day can be a

challenge, some people will rejects us, but we still carry the potential for miracles

in the relationships of welcome. 

Today, I ask God to give me the strength to on from here knowing that I will be blessed

with others to go with me, and will see miracles and welcome in the coming days. May 

we all walk on knowing love surrounds us, even in the places of rejection and anger.