Catholic Men’s Daily Devotional and Bible Study – 26th Week in Ordinary time – Saturday – Luke 10:17-24

The Gospel reading from the Mass for Saturday of the 26th Week of Ordinary Time is Luke 10:17-24.

Having sent out His 12 Apostles on a similar mission (Luke 9:1-6), Christ commissions an expanded group of 70 disciples, giving them precise instructions and sending them on a second wave of evangelization. The 70 return with joy having cast out demons in the Name of Jesus.  Christ confirms their efforts in Him bring an advance of His Kingdom and the fall of Satan. He grants superhuman powers, including immunity from deadly snakes/scorpions and the attacks of the enemy (Satan). Christ ends with a warning to not rejoice in the powers granted but to rejoice because He will list their names as saints in Heaven.

In just a few short lines, Christ’s prayer to the Father is a powerful blessing that reveals the closeness of the Father and the Son. He reveals the perfect love between the Father and the Son. He reveals His perfect obedience to and reverence for the Father. He expresses His heart-deep thanks for His Father’s blessings. He acknowledges the power the Father has given Him in the world. He confirms the Father’s dominion over Creation.

Christ’s prayer also reveals how men can draw closer to God. Through His example, Christ demonstrates how men can speak with God. He reveals that through the Father’s gracious will, God is hidden from the arrogant (self-proclaimed “wise”) and revealed to the innocent (infants); that only through humble obedience and dependence, men can be open to receiving Christ’s Wisdom. To receive Wisdom, He reveals that the only way to God the Father is through the Son. After Christ’s prayer, He privately reveals to the disciples the profound blessing they have been given in their witness of His prayer in the Holy Spirit to the Father.

Awed by Jesus Christ – Person of the Trinity, Christ reveals glimpses of the relationship of the Father and the Son. Son of God, Christ asserts that God has the power to influence the lives of men and does so. Almighty King, Christ reveals that only through Him can men be drawn to the Father. Divine Teacher, Christ reveals the profound blessing the disciples have been given in their witness of Christ’s conversation with the Father.

Being a Heroic Catholic Man

1) Be blessed like the disciples, knowing that in His prayer to the Father (CCC 2603), the Son reveals the truth about His Identity and the Trinity and allows men to encounter His truth in the Catholic Church.

2) With the world in sinful descent and the Church’s continuing loss of men, it is tempting to lose hope; when men lose hope, Satan wins. Rejoice that Christ reveals Satan will not triumph over His Catholic Church (CCC 391-395, 760) and pray for Christ to fill you with a resilient hope that thwarts Satan’s constant attacks to corrupt souls and sow despair.

3) Knowing the truth about Christ and His Church fills a man with joy; those who are frequently filled with despair, anger and fear are missing Christ. Reflect upon Christ’s call to be Joyful (CCC 30, 160, 301, 795, 1054, 1820-1821, 2015, 2174) and pray for Christ to help you overcome Satan’s attempt to steal your joy.

Spiritual Practices – Include in Today’s Prayers

Sacred Mystery of Rosary – The Joyful Mysteries

Daily Devotion – The Blessed Virgin Mary

Virtue of the Day – Hope

Corporal Work of Mercy – To bury the dead

Spiritual Work of Mercy – To pray for the living and the dead