LUKE 10:1–12
THE MISSION OF THE SEVENTY-TWO AND THE WARNING TO THE UNREPENTANT
BRIEF INTERPRETATION
Text – Luke 10:1–12
1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit.
2 He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”
3 “Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.”
4 “Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way.”
5 “Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’”
6 “If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you.”
7 “Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another.”
8 “Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you,”
9 “cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’”
10 “Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say,”
11 ‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.’
Yet know this: the kingdom of God is at hand.”
12 “I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town.”
Historical and Jewish Context
Jesus extends His mission beyond the Twelve by appointing seventy-two disciples, a number recalling the traditional seventy nations of the world, suggesting a universal mission. Sending them in pairs mirrors Jewish legal practice requiring two witnesses to confirm testimony. Their travel instructions reflect the urgency and purity of the prophetic mission: no provisions, no greetings that delay them, complete dependence on hospitality. “Peace to this household” follows ancient Semitic blessing customs. Shaking dust from the feet was a symbolic gesture used by Jews leaving Gentile territories, signifying separation from impurity. Jesus adapts this as a prophetic warning to towns that reject the Gospel. The reference to Sodom evokes severe divine judgment, highlighting the gravity of refusing God’s visitation in Christ.
Catholic Theological Perspective
This mission anticipates the Church’s global evangelization. The disciples act as Christ’s representatives, bringing peace, healing, and the proclamation of the Kingdom. Dependence on providence embodies the evangelical spirit foundational to religious life. The authority to heal and to proclaim the Kingdom reveals participation in Christ’s own mission. The warning against unrepentant towns emphasizes human freedom: grace is offered, but rejection has consequences. The teaching echoes Catholic doctrine on cooperation with grace and the seriousness of refusing God’s invitation to salvation.
Parallels in Scripture
Ex 18:21–22 – Appointing groups of leaders to assist in mission.
Num 11:24–30 – The Spirit rests on others to help Moses.
Lk 9:1–6 – Similar mission of the Twelve.
Mt 10:5–15 – Mission discourse with instructions and warnings.
Acts 13:44–51 – Paul and Barnabas shake dust from their feet.
Is 52:7 – Blessed are those who bring good news.
Key Terms
Seventy-two – Symbolic of mission to all nations.
Harvest – Image of God’s saving work and the need for laborers.
Peace – Divine blessing of wholeness and reconciliation.
Dust – Symbolic testimony of rejection and accountability.
Sodom – Scriptural example of severe judgment for hardened refusal.
Catholic Liturgical Significance
This passage is proclaimed in liturgies focused on evangelization, mission, and the call to conversion. It appears in feasts of evangelists and missionaries, reminding the faithful of their role in proclaiming God’s Kingdom. It also encourages trust in divine providence, hospitality, and the Church’s healing ministry.
Conclusion
Jesus sends the Seventy-Two with urgency, authority, and simplicity. Their mission brings peace, healing, and the nearness of God’s Kingdom. Yet the passage also carries a sober warning: rejecting the Gospel is rejecting God Himself. The mission of the Seventy-Two prefigures the Church’s global mission to announce salvation and invite all to repentance.
Reflection
How do I bring the peace and healing of Christ to the places I enter each day? Am I attentive to the opportunities for mission around me? Jesus calls me not only to proclaim His Kingdom but also to accept when others reject it, responding with humility and continued trust.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, send Your Spirit upon me to be a faithful witness of Your Kingdom. Give me the courage to proclaim Your peace, the compassion to heal the wounded, and the perseverance to continue even when rejected. Help me to trust fully in Your providence. Amen.
DETAILED INTERPRETATION
INTRODUCTION
Luke 10:1–12 describes Jesus appointing and sending seventy-two others ahead of Him, two by two, to every town and place He intended to visit. In Jewish tradition, the number seventy (or seventy-two) symbolized the nations of the world (cf. Genesis 10), suggesting a mission that reaches beyond Israel. Sending disciples in pairs followed Jewish legal custom, where two witnesses were required to confirm truth. Jesus thus establishes a wider missionary movement, showing that the proclamation of the Kingdom is not limited to the Twelve alone.
Historically, Jesus’ instructions emphasize urgency, simplicity, and total reliance on God. The harvest imagery reflects prophetic language where God’s saving action is ready, but laborers are few. Hospitality was a sacred duty in Jewish culture, and accepting or rejecting the messengers carried spiritual significance. The warning to towns that refuse the Gospel echoes prophetic calls to repentance, reminding listeners that rejection of God’s message has serious consequences—not because God lacks mercy, but because hearts remain closed to salvation.
Luke 10:1 — “After this the Lord appointed seventy[-two] others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit.”
This verse launches a new phase of mission on Jesus’ Jerusalem journey: He appoints seventy[-two] disciples, sending them two by two as advance heralds to prepare hearts for His arrival. The number evokes Israel’s seventy[-two] elders sharing Moses’ spirit, symbolizing restored covenant mission through Christ.
Luke emphasizes communal sending—pairs for mutual support—showing apostolic work thrives in fraternal witness, not solitary effort, as the Kingdom expands universally.
Historical and Jewish Context
Seventy[-two] recalls Israel’s elders receiving Spirit (Num 11) and seventy nations post-Babel, signaling worldwide harvest.
Pairs echo Jewish legal witness requirement and Jesus’ own sending of the Twelve.
Catholic Theological Perspective
From a Catholic perspective, this commissioning prefigures the Church’s missionary mandate: lay and ordained sent in communion to proclaim Christ’s coming (cf. CCC 858-859). Bishops and priests continue this paired ministry.
Spiritually, believers receive universal call: prepare paths for Christ through prayer, witness, and service in daily “towns.”
Key Terms
Appointed seventy[-two] others — extension of apostolic mission beyond the Twelve.
Sent ahead…in pairs — strategic, supported evangelization.
Every town and place — universal Kingdom scope.
Conclusion
Luke 10:1 expands mission: Jesus sends seventy[-two] as harvest heralds, modeling Church’s paired witness preparing His way.
Reflection
Whom does God send me to prepare for Christ? Can I embrace paired mission over solitary effort?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, who sent the seventy[-two] ahead, appoint us as Your heralds. Unite us in pairs for fruitful witness preparing hearts for You. Amen.
Luke 10:2 — “He said to them, ‘The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.’”
This verse opens Jesus’ instructions to the seventy[-two] with a poignant image: vast spiritual harvest ready for gathering, yet desperately short of workers. He commands immediate prayer for more laborers, revealing Kingdom urgency and human insufficiency met by divine provision.
Luke teaches mission begins with intercession: disciples plead with the harvest Lord to thrust forth workers, acknowledging dependence on God’s initiative for fruitful labor.
Historical and Jewish Context
Harvest imagery evokes end-time ingathering of Israel (Is 27:12) and nations, ripe for Messiah’s kingdom.
“Master of the harvest” sovereignly directs reaping, as God alone ripens hearts.
Catholic Theological Perspective
From a Catholic perspective, this founds the Church’s missionary prayer: Vocations Sunday and daily intercession seek laborers for priesthood, religious life, and lay apostolate (cf. CCC 849). Eucharist sends forth harvesters.
Spiritually, believers join constant prayer for workers amid world’s spiritual famine.
Key Terms
Harvest is abundant — overwhelming readiness for salvation.
Laborers are few — human scarcity calling divine supply.
Ask the master — intercessory dependence initiating mission.
Conclusion
Luke 10:2 reveals mission’s heart: pray urgently for harvest laborers, trusting the Lord’s abundant provision.
Reflection
Do I pray daily for vocations, or assume harvest waits? Am I ready if the Master sends me?
Prayer
Lord of the harvest, thrust forth laborers into Your ripe fields. Stir our hearts to pray and respond to the abundant call. Amen.
Luke 10:3 — “Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.”
This verse commissions the seventy[-two] with stark realism: sent as vulnerable “lambs” into a predatory world of “wolves,” mission demands total trust in Christ’s protection amid hostility. Jesus prepares them for opposition, echoing His own path through rejection.
Luke underscores missionary vulnerability as strength: defenseless dependence on the Lord proves more powerful than self-reliance, mirroring Lamb of God theology.
Historical and Jewish Context
Lambs evoked sacrificial innocence and Passover deliverance, contrasting wolves as devouring enemies (Ez 22:27).
Prophetic missions often faced violent rejection, requiring divine safeguarding.
Catholic Theological Perspective
From a Catholic perspective, this prefigures Church martyrdom and nonviolence: lambs conquer wolves through witness, not weapons (cf. CCC 2302-2306). Missionaries rely on sacraments for strength.
Spiritually, believers embrace vulnerability: sent defenseless, protected solely by Christ’s authority.
Key Terms
Go on your way — urgent departure without delay.
Lambs among wolves — innocent vulnerability amid danger.
I am sending — divine commissioning guarantees protection.
Conclusion
Luke 10:3 sends lambs fearlessly: missionary power lies in Christ-protected vulnerability conquering wolves.
Reflection
Am I willing to go as Christ’s defenseless lamb? Where do I seek self-protection over divine trust?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, send us as lambs trusting Your care amid wolves. Grant fearless witness through vulnerability alone. Amen.
Luke 10:4 — “Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way.”
This verse mandates radical simplicity for the seventy[-two]: travel unencumbered by provisions, trusting divine providence alone. The prohibition against greeting delays underscores urgency—Kingdom mission admits no distractions, demanding total focus on the task.
Luke reveals missionary detachment: freedom from possessions and social niceties enables swift, unhindered witness, mirroring Jesus’ own poverty on the Jerusalem road.
Historical and Jewish Context
Itinerant prophets traveled light, depending on hospitality, but Jesus intensifies to total reliance.
“Greet no one” echoes Elisha’s haste (2 Kgs 4), prioritizing divine errands over courtesies.
Catholic Theological Perspective
From a Catholic perspective, this models evangelical poverty: missionaries imitate Christ’s detachment for Kingdom freedom (cf. CCC 544-546). Religious vows embody this radical trust.
Spiritually, believers practice daily simplicity: shed “money bags” hindering gospel advance.
Key Terms
Carry no money bag — detachment from financial security.
No sack, no sandals — total material renunciation.
Greet no one — mission urgency over social delay.
Conclusion
Luke 10:4 demands unburdened haste: detached missionaries advance Kingdom unhindered by possessions or distractions.
Reflection
What “sandals” weigh down my witness? Can I travel light for Christ’s urgent call?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, strip us of encumbrances for swift mission. Teach trust in Your provision alone. Amen.
Luke 10:5 — “Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’”
This verse instructs the seventy[-two] on their first act upon entering a home: proclaim “Peace to this household,” offering messianic shalom as Kingdom greeting. The blessing creates spiritual space for Christ’s reception, invoking divine favor and reconciliation from the outset.
Luke teaches mission begins with gift, not demand: peace heralds prepare hearts, distinguishing welcoming homes as bases for further outreach.
Historical and Jewish Context
“Peace” (shalom) was standard Jewish greeting carrying wholeness, prosperity, divine blessing.
Prophets invoked peace blessings selectively, reserved for receptive households.
Catholic Theological Perspective
From a Catholic perspective, this peace blessing prefigures sacramental grace: missionaries bring Christ’s reconciling presence (cf. CCC 2305). The Church continues house blessings manifesting Kingdom peace.
Spiritually, believers carry peace as first witness: shalom disarms, heals, prepares for gospel.
Key Terms
Into whatever house — selective mission establishing bases.
First say — priority of blessing over business.
Peace to this household — messianic gift inaugurating salvation.
Conclusion
Luke 10:5 sends peace-bearers: first words bless receptive homes, preparing Christ’s way through shalom.
Reflection
Do I offer Christ’s peace first in encounters? Where can my words bring household reconciliation?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, make us peace-bearers entering homes with Your shalom. Let our first words prepare hearts for You. Amen.
Luke 10:6 — “And if a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you.”
This verse explains the peace blessing’s dynamic: it alights on receptive hearts (“peaceful person”) but rebounds from the unworthy, protecting missionaries from fruitless entanglement. Luke teaches discernment in mission—peace tests soil, guiding where Kingdom seed takes root.
The reciprocity reveals spiritual reality: blessing binds to welcome, but rejection leaves sender unscathed, freeing pursuit of fertile ground.
Historical and Jewish Context
Peace blessings carried conditional efficacy in Jewish tradition, effective only on the righteous.
“Return to you” echoes prophetic oracles recoiling from hardened hearts.
Catholic Theological Perspective
From a Catholic perspective, this models sacramental grace: effective where faith receives, ineffective against resistance (cf. CCC 1128). Missionaries discern spirits, shaking dust from unresponsive places.
Spiritually, believers offer peace freely, trusting divine discernment over human forcing.
Key Terms
Peaceful person — receptive heart ready for Kingdom.
Your peace will rest — blessing abiding where welcome.
Return to you — grace preserved from rejection.
Conclusion
Luke 10:6 teaches peace-testing: blessings abide with the worthy, rebound from the rest, guiding mission wisely.
Reflection
Do I force peace on resistant hearts, or trust its return to seek fertile soil?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, teach us to offer peace freely, abiding where welcome, rebounding to find receptive homes. Amen.
Luke 10:7 — “Stay in the same house, eating and drinking what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not go from one house to another.”
This verse instructs the seventy[-two] on hospitality: remain in the welcoming house, accepting provision without seeking better, affirming the laborer’s dignity. Stability in one home models contentment and trust, rooting mission in grateful communion rather than restless upgrading.
Luke teaches apostolic simplicity: divine provision suffices, preventing distraction from proclamation by material concerns.
Historical and Jewish Context
“Laborer deserves wages” echoes Deuteronomy’s support for Levites and teachers, establishing ministerial right to sustenance.
Single-house stay prevented social climbing common among itinerants.
Catholic Theological Perspective
From a Catholic perspective, this grounds priestly and missionary support: the Church honors “laborer deserves pay” through just stipends (cf. CCC 2120). Eucharist table prefigures this shared provision.
Spiritually, believers practice grateful stability: accept God’s daily bread without complaint.
Key Terms
Stay in the same house — rooted mission avoiding wanderlust.
Laborer deserves payment — dignified provision for Kingdom work.
Do not go from house to house — contentment preventing comparison.
Conclusion
Luke 10:7 roots missionaries gratefully: stable hospitality sustains labor without worldly chasing.
Reflection
Do I accept God’s provision contentedly, or seek “better houses”? Where can I root gratefully?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, teach us missionary contentment in Your provision. Root us gratefully for fruitful labor. Amen.
Luke 10:8 — “Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you,”
This verse reinforces missionary simplicity and trust: in welcoming towns, accept whatever food offered without complaint or discrimination. Luke emphasizes humble reception of hospitality, freeing laborers from dietary concerns to focus entirely on Kingdom proclamation.
The command models incarnational witness: missionaries immerse in local culture, sharing table as sign of communion, bridging differences through grateful acceptance.
Historical and Jewish Context
Jewish dietary laws often complicated table fellowship; Jesus prioritizes mission unity over ritual purity.
Accepting host provisions honored ancient hospitality codes binding guest and provider.
Catholic Theological Perspective
From a Catholic perspective, this prefigures Eucharist openness: receive Christ’s body in varied forms, trusting divine provision (cf. CCC 1391). Missionaries model inculturation, eating local bread as Kingdom sign.
Spiritually, believers practice radical gratitude: accept life’s “food” without preference, finding Christ in ordinary provision.
Key Terms
Whatever town…welcome — condition of receptive soil.
Eat what is set before — humble, nonjudgmental reception.
Conclusion
Luke 10:8 calls grateful immersion: missionaries eat offered food, embodying Kingdom communion amid diversity.
Reflection
Do I accept God’s provisions gratefully, or complain about the “menu”? Where can I share table humbly?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, teach us to eat Your daily bread thankfully. Free us from preferences for missionary openness. Amen.
Luke 10:9 — “cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’”
This verse mandates the seventy[-two]’s core mission in welcoming towns: heal the sick and proclaim the Kingdom’s nearness, uniting sign and word as inseparable witness. Healing manifests God’s reign breaking in, while the declaration makes explicit what the miracle implies—salvation arrives now through Christ.
Luke integrates action and announcement: physical restoration proves spiritual reality, equipping receptive hearts to receive the Lord who sends deliverance to the lowly and suffering.
Historical and Jewish Context
Healing miracles fulfilled messianic prophecies (Is 35:5-6), signaling God’s end-time visitation to Israel. Proclaiming “kingdom at hand” echoed John the Baptist and Jesus’ own preaching, announcing divine rule invading human history through miraculous power.
Catholic Theological Perspective
From a Catholic perspective, this commissioning prefigures the Church’s healing sacraments—Anointing, Eucharist—where physical and spiritual restoration converge (cf. CCC 1509). Missionaries extend Christ’s touch, declaring His reign present in suffering’s transformation, inviting faith response.
Spiritually, believers participate by bringing Christ’s healing presence to the broken, words confirming deeds as Kingdom evidence.
Key Terms
Cure the sick — authoritative healing manifesting God’s compassionate rule.
Kingdom of God is at hand — urgent announcement of salvation’s arrival.
For you — personal invitation to receptive hearers.
Conclusion
Luke 10:9 fuses deed and declaration: heal to prove, proclaim to explain—Kingdom comes healing and near to the humble.
Reflection
Where can I bring Christ’s healing touch today? Do my words declare His reign to those receiving my care?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, send us to heal and herald Your Kingdom. Make our hands restorative, our words invitational. Amen.
Luke 10:10 — “Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say,”
This verse shifts to rejection protocol for the seventy[-two]: upon entering unresponsive towns, publicly depart with a formal testimony rather than forcing welcome. The command preserves dignity amid hostility, modeling non-coercive mission that respects human freedom while bearing witness to truth.
Luke teaches strategic withdrawal: fruitless ground receives clear rejection notice, freeing laborers for receptive harvest fields without bitterness or endless contention.
Historical and Jewish Context
Public street declarations echoed prophetic oracles against unrepentant cities (Jer 7), establishing legal witness before moving on. Jewish custom required formal rejection statements to avoid bloodguilt, protecting messengers from future blame.
Catholic Theological Perspective
From a Catholic perspective, this instructs prudent discernment: evangelizers shake dust from hostile places, entrusting judgment to God (cf. CCC 1861). The Church respects free will, withdrawing when gospel meets hardened hearts while continuing prayerful hope for conversion.
Spiritually, believers learn holy detachment: offer truth boldly, accept rejection gracefully, advance unburdened to fertile soil.
Key Terms
Town you enter — initial mission opportunity tested by reception.
Do not receive you — active refusal demanding response.
Go out into the streets — public, dignified departure signaling accountability.
Conclusion
Luke 10:10 guides rejection response: depart publicly from closed towns, testifying clearly before seeking open hearts elsewhere.
Reflection
Where have I lingered fruitlessly? Can I withdraw gracefully from rejection, trusting God judges hearts?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, grant discernment to know when to speak and when to shake dust. Free us from forcing fruit, guiding to receptive soil. Amen.
Luke 10:11 — “Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God is at hand.”
This verse details the formal rejection testimony: the seventy[-two] publicly wipe off clinging town dust as symbolic judgment, then proclaim the Kingdom’s nearness despite refusal. The act fulfills prophetic witness—dust-shaking absolves responsibility—while the announcement leaves final opportunity for repentance, underscoring divine mercy amid warning.
Luke balances justice and grace: rejection provokes solemn testimony that both condemns refusal and extends salvation’s urgency one last time, protecting messengers while holding towns accountable.
Historical and Jewish Context
Dust-shaking originated as Jewish custom for Gentiles (pagan defilement), adapted here for rejecting Jews, echoing Ezekiel’s symbolic acts against unfaithful cities. “Kingdom at hand” reiterates the offer spurned, mirroring Noah’s final call before judgment.
Catholic Theological Perspective
From a Catholic perspective, this models evangelistic prudence: the Church bears witness then withdraws, leaving judgment to God (cf. CCC 1861, Acts 13:51). Sacraments offered, grace rejected—final proclamation respects freedom while testifying truth.
Spiritually, believers practice holy detachment: shake off rejections without resentment, trusting Kingdom advances sovereignly beyond our efforts.
Key Terms
Dust…clings to our feet — visible symbol of rejected witness and defilement.
We wipe off against you — public absolving of further responsibility.
Kingdom of God is at hand — merciful final offer despite refusal.
Conclusion
Luke 10:11 perfects rejection rite: dust-shaking testifies, Kingdom proclamation invites—mercy and warning seal unresponsive towns.
Reflection
Have I faithfully witnessed then detached from fruitless ground? Do I proclaim Kingdom even amid rejection?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, teach us prophetic witness: shake dust cleanly, proclaim boldly, trust Your sovereign harvest. Amen.
Luke 10:12 — “I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town.”
This verse pronounces severe judgment on rejecting towns: Sodom’s infamous wickedness receives lighter punishment than those spurning Kingdom messengers, as greater revelation brings greater accountability. Jesus warns that deliberate refusal of salvation’s nearness incurs eschatological condemnation surpassing ancient abominations.
Luke escalates mission consequences: rejecting Christ’s heralds equals rejecting Him, amplifying guilt beyond pagan immorality through privileged exposure to gospel light.
Historical and Jewish Context
Sodom epitomized ultimate divine judgment for sexual immorality and inhospitality (Gen 19), proverbial for irreversible doom. Jesus invokes this archetype to underscore rejecting prophets exceeds even legendary sins, fulfilling Torah principle of greater knowledge demanding stricter obedience.
Catholic Theological Perspective
From a Catholic perspective, this teaches final judgment proportionality: rejecting offered salvation after miracles and proclamation merits heavier penalty (cf. CCC 1033-1037, Heb 10:28-31). The Church warns that despising gospel grace post-conversion risks eternal loss, emphasizing free will’s gravity.
Spiritually, believers recognize revelation’s double edge: privilege heightens responsibility, calling vigilant fidelity lest familiarity breed contempt for Kingdom nearness.
Key Terms
More tolerable for Sodom — comparative leniency for ignorant wickedness.
That day — final judgment revealing all hearts.
Than for that town — heightened culpability from gospel rejection.
Conclusion
Luke 10:12 warns rejecting towns face worse than Sodom: gospel spurned after signs demands stricter reckoning on judgment day.
Reflection
Have I taken Kingdom nearness for granted? Does greater light increase my accountability before God?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, who warned of judgment’s weight, stir our hearts to receive Your heralds eagerly. Grant repentance to all spurning salvation’s nearness. Amen.
CONCLUSION
For believers today, Luke 10:1–12 highlights the shared responsibility of mission in the Church. Every disciple is sent, not by personal authority, but in the name of Christ. This passage challenges us to trust in God’s providence rather than in material security, and to proclaim the Gospel with humility, peace, and courage.
At the same time, the warning to the unrepentant reminds us that the Gospel calls for a response. God’s Kingdom is a gift, but it must be received. Acceptance brings peace and healing; rejection brings loss. As disciples, we are called both to announce God’s mercy and to respect human freedom, entrusting the outcome to God.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, You send Your disciples into the world to proclaim the nearness of God’s Kingdom. Give us generous hearts and courageous faith to share Your Gospel with peace and humility. Teach us to rely on Your providence and to remain faithful even when the message is rejected. May our lives be instruments of Your mercy, bringing healing and hope to all we encounter. Amen.