Gospel for July 6 2025 – Luke 10:1-12, 17-20
Gospel Reflections for July 6 2025
Living among bad people…
It would be easier to be Christian if there weren’t so many bad people in the world!
We live in contentious times now with people upset about many issues like immigration, Ukraine, Iran, and Gaza wars, and even Supreme Court decisions.
The founders of our country that we just celebrated on July 4th struggled with this problem too. How can we influence people with strong opposing views? Our Lord gives an answer.
Jesus trains His disciples In today’s 10th Chapter of Luke how to convert hostile people in nearby towns. He sends them as “Lambs among wolves” (…Don’t be shocked if they act like wolves!)
His training is simple; (1) First say that you come in peace and mean no harm, (2) “Eat what is set before you” means learn their culture and why they hold the ideas they have, (3) Do something good that truly helps them, (4) Announce Our Lord’s teachings of love and how it will make them happier, and finally (5) …Just move on if your message is not well received!
(This Gospel is the basis of my book, Luke 10 Leadership available at stbrunochurch.com)
Jesus knows that not everyone will accept His message of love but strongly affirms you should never let someone else’s lack of faith, hope, or love affect your faith, hope, or love. If others accept Jesus, great, if not …just move on!
Jesus always respects freedom, even of those who reject Him. But that rejection never changed His own faith, hope, and love, nor should it ever change yours. Why would you ever let someone with no faith affect your faith? Keep your faith strong and joyful no matter what others may do.
Jesus affirms later in John 15:11 that the true sign that you have the presence of God is a deep and profound joy. That joy comes from accepting God’s love for you which also helps you love others …no matter what they say or do.
A simple description of our Catholic faith is that you love …no matter what! The disciples were amazingly successful in their mission. Jesus says he saw “Satan fall like lightning from the sky!”
Never let anything, or anyone, distract you from the joy that comes in your meeting Our Lord …and helping others do so as well.
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
Fr Dave,
Your advice definitely presents a challenge in today’s passionate opposing political views. Since it’s impossible to literally move on,, do we follow the old adage to “avoid talking about religion & politics “? Is that what “ moving on” means? This is a serious question.
Blessings,
Sherrie
The Gospel indicates we never fear to respectfully bring up any topic of our faith. We always start with friendliness and a sincere interest in the the other’s person’s views. If the other person definitely does not want to talk, that is when we “move on.” If this is within the family, then we “move on” to another topic.
Fr Dave,
Your advice definitely presents a challenge in today’s passionate opposing political views. Since it’s impossible to literally move on,, do we follow the old adage to “avoid talking about religion & politics “? Is that what “ moving on” means? This is a serious question.
Blessings,
Sherrie
Your five points of training sounded so familiar to me. It can be applied to many things in life. When my career was deeply involved in implementing Quality and Continuous Improvement methods, all five of these points came into play, particularly since most of us don’t like change and don’t see the value in it, even when it is the best thing for us.
Thanks for another great message.
Yes, all great training methods, from dale Carnegie on, find their source in the Gospel. However, Jesus is not offering a “technique” or gimmick. Each step must be honest and sincerely felt. I am glad you found them all familiar!
Dear Father Dave,
“Jesus respects freedom.” These three words are so powerful. Now when we put love into the equation, we can see those three words in different ways. For example: Jesus loves. Jesus loves respect. Jesus loves freedom.
The all-powerful Trinity is love. And so, we put our lives and our souls in God’s care, and while there we ask Him to take our will (freedom) and our love. We ask for His blessings to do His will, now and always.
I guess it’s both complicated and simple.
Faith is the column holding us up, especially when life turns upside down, for whatever reason….
Always, many thanks for your weekly gospel messages. They are always food for thought, food for the soul.
God bless you.
Kathleen
Yes, you affirm this freedom and love every time you make the sign of the cross and name the persons in the Trinity. It means everything that follows will be about either receiving His love or giving His love.
I really enjoyed your Gospel Reflections today Father and the steps to being successful. I used the same steps in training my outside salesmen. 1) try and find a way to help the person you are calling on, regardless of whether or not it has anything to do with what you are selling. 2) if you can do that, now you have their attention and they will usually want to help “you” and ask you, “ by the way, what are you selling?” 3) Know your job so you can take the next step.. The apostles were also salesmen, don’t you think? Just promoting a different product: Our Savior Jesus Christ and the road to Heaven.
Great comment!
Kathleen
Yes, all modern selling ideas find their source in this Gospel. Glad you liked it.
In life we encounter many people and it is true love and joy is what overwhelms them!!!We are so preciously Blessed with our Faith that our best defense of our Faith is living it in joy and love, reaching out to others and living Jesus’ love!! I was in Debating at Marymount College and I love debates and I learned we must treat each other with respect and make our views with love and we might win people over to our Jesus’ Faith and loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! The secret to life is livingJjesus’commandments, Faith and loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee and touch others by His live!!!! Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeee You!! Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee,Franca and Dick
Love the way you overwhelm others with our Jesus’ precious Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!
Thank you!
Beautifully said Father Dave
Thank you!