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Gospel Reading for October 5, 2024 – Luke 10: 17-24
ARE NOT OURS
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.
”At that very moment he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”
Turning to the disciples in private he said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”
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They were probably in euphoria being able to do the mighty works that Jesus had been doing, but Jesus reminds them, “. . . do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
Those of us who are given special gifts from the Holy Spirit have to always remind ourselves that the gifts ARE NOT OURS to brag about or to be proud of. They are given for the use of the Kingdom of God, and if used the way they are meant to be used, “our names will be written in heaven.”
The sad truth is that there are those of us who are given special gifts, who tend to become big-headed, feel entitled, and forget that the gifts aren’t ours. This is when the devil has set in. After a while, the gift is taken away and we become ineffective. This is PROOF that the gifts are divine, and therefore, will be taken away when the evil one sets in.
Lord, we thank you for equipping us with your gifts and allowing us to take part in your salvific mission!
