In Ordinary Time
The Divine Mission Assignment
God has this absolutely fascinating way of getting things done - He chooses the most unlikely people and gives them the most important jobs. Isaiah proclaimed restoration to a broken Jerusalem, Paul preached the scandal of the cross to a world that thought it was foolishness, and Jesus sent out seventy-two ordinary disciples with nothing but sandals and good intentions. This is God's consistent strategy throughout salvation history: He picks regular people like us and says, "Go change the world." What's remarkable is that this isn't Plan B because the professionals were busy - this IS the plan. God deliberately chooses to work through human messengers because He wants His love to have a face, His mercy to have hands, and His good news to have a voice that sounds like ours. As Catholics, we're not just observers of this divine drama; we're the current cast members in God's ongoing mission of restoration.
The Upside-Down Kingdom
There's something wonderfully backwards about God's kingdom that makes perfect sense once you understand His heart. The cross looked like the ultimate defeat, but it was actually the ultimate victory. The disciples went out with empty pockets but came back with full hearts and amazing stories. Isaiah's image of God as a nursing mother seemed weak to a world that worshipped warrior gods, but it revealed the strongest force in the universe - unconditional love. This is the beautiful paradox of following Jesus: what looks like weakness to the world is actually where God's power shows up most clearly. When we embrace our limitations, admit our need for grace, and choose love over power, we become conduits for the same divine strength that raised Jesus from the dead. The world tells us to be strong, but Jesus tells us to be faithful - and somehow, in our faithfulness, His strength shows up in ways that surprise everyone, including ourselves.
The Contagious Joy of the Gospel
You can't read these passages without noticing the sheer joy that bubbles up everywhere. Jerusalem is called to rejoice, the disciples return with excitement, and even Paul finds reasons to celebrate while suffering for the Gospel. This isn't the manufactured happiness of a good day or the temporary high of an achievement - this is the deep, unshakeable joy that comes from knowing you're part of something bigger than yourself. When we truly grasp that God has invited us into His mission of healing and restoration, when we realize that our small acts of love and service are actually participation in the divine plan, we can't help but be filled with wonder. This joy becomes our secret weapon in evangelization. People are naturally drawn to authentic happiness, and when they see Catholics who are genuinely excited about following Jesus, they start asking questions. Our joy tells the world that faith isn't a burden to bear but a treasure to share.
Your Authority as a Beloved Child
Here's something that might surprise you - you have been given real authority by Jesus Christ Himself. Not the kind that lords it over people or demands respect, but the kind that casts out darkness and brings healing. The same authority that Isaiah wielded when he spoke God's comfort, that Paul exercised when he planted churches, and that the seventy-two discovered when demons fled at Jesus' name - this authority belongs to every baptized Catholic. You have the authority to speak words of life into dead situations, to offer forgiveness that breaks chains, to pray prayers that move mountains, and to love people back to life. This isn't about being perfect or having all the answers; it's about being willing to let Jesus work through you. When you feed the hungry, comfort the grieving, stand up for justice, or simply treat someone with dignity when the world tells them they're worthless, you're exercising the same divine authority that runs through all these passages. God's new creation is breaking into the world through ordinary Catholics who dare to believe that Jesus meant what He said when He told us to go and make disciples of all nations.
©2025 James Dacey Jr.
