Jun 28, 2025 Written by 

Mission: lambs among wolves

The passage proposed for this Sunday is taken from the Gospel of Luke and emphasises Jesus' mandate to his disciples, highlighting how they were to be itinerant preachers of the Gospel.

«Go! Behold, I am sending you out as lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals, and greet no one on the road» (Lk 10:3-4).

The Sources document how Francis took this Word of God literally, inviting his friars to do the same.

The Poor Man of Assisi declared himself simple and foolish and taught his brothers the way of simplicity, the sister of true wisdom and meekness.

In the Major Legend we read:

"I want my brothers to be disciples of the Gospel and to progress in the knowledge of the Truth, so that they may grow at the same time in the purity of simplicity. Thus they will not separate the simplicity of the dove from the prudence of the serpent, which the unsurpassed Master has joined together with his blessed Word" (FF 1188).

Francis had the grace to become a great witness even in his encounter with the Saracen soldiers.

He took with him a companion, Brother Illuminato, and decided to proclaim Christ even among those who cut off the heads of Christians.

"So he set out, taking with him a companion named Illuminato, who was truly enlightened and virtuous.

As soon as they set out, they met two sheep.

The saint rejoiced and said to his companion:

'Have faith in the Lord, brother, for the words of the Gospel are being fulfilled in us: Behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves'.

They went on and came upon the Saracen sentries, who, rushing like wolves against the sheep, captured the servants of God, threatening them with death, cruelly and contemptuously mistreating them, covering them with insults and beatings, and chaining them.

Finally, after beating them in a thousand ways, by divine Providence they were brought to the Sultan, as the man of God had wished" (FF 1173).

And often the Poverello "redeemed the lambs that were being led to slaughter, in memory of that most meek Lamb, who willingly went to his death to redeem sinners" (FF 1145).

Moreover, wherever he went to proclaim the Gospel, he brought the greeting of peace to all:

"In every sermon, before communicating the Word of God to the people, he wished peace, saying:

'The Lord give you peace!'.

He always proclaimed this peace with great devotion to men and women, to all those he met or who came to him" (FF 359).

Francis was entirely focused on proclaiming the Kingdom of God, which had now taken possession of him; he burned with the desire to bear witness to it so that it might reach as many souls as possible.

 

 

Sunday 14th in O.T. (year C)  [Lk 10:1-12, 17-20]

129 Last modified on Saturday, 28 June 2025 03:03
Teresa Girolami

Teresa Girolami è laureata in Materie letterarie e Teologia. Ha pubblicato vari testi, fra cui: "Pellegrinaggio del cuore" (Ed. Piemme); "I Fiammiferi di Maria - La Madre di Dio in prosa e poesia"; "Tenerezza Scalza - Natura di donna"; co-autrice di "Dialogo e Solstizio".

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The discovery of the Kingdom of God can happen suddenly like the farmer who, ploughing, finds an unexpected treasure; or after a long search, like the pearl merchant who eventually finds the most precious pearl, so long dreamt of (Pope Francis)
La scoperta del Regno di Dio può avvenire improvvisamente come per il contadino che arando, trova il tesoro insperato; oppure dopo lunga ricerca, come per il mercante di perle, che finalmente trova la perla preziosissima da tempo sognata (Papa Francesco)
Christ is not resigned to the tombs that we have built for ourselves (Pope Francis)
Cristo non si rassegna ai sepolcri che ci siamo costruiti (Papa Francesco)
We must not fear the humility of taking little steps, but trust in the leaven that penetrates the dough and slowly causes it to rise (cf. Mt 13:33) [Pope Benedict]
Occorre non temere l’umiltà dei piccoli passi e confidare nel lievito che penetra nella pasta e lentamente la fa crescere (cfr Mt 13,33) [Papa Benedetto]
The disciples, already know how to pray by reciting the formulas of the Jewish tradition, but they too wish to experience the same “quality” of Jesus’ prayer (Pope Francis)
I discepoli, sanno già pregare, recitando le formule della tradizione ebraica, ma desiderano poter vivere anche loro la stessa “qualità” della preghiera di Gesù (Papa Francesco)
Saint John Chrysostom affirms that all of the apostles were imperfect, whether it was the two who wished to lift themselves above the other ten, or whether it was the ten who were jealous of them (“Commentary on Matthew”, 65, 4: PG 58, 619-622) [Pope Benedict]
San Giovanni Crisostomo afferma che tutti gli apostoli erano ancora imperfetti, sia i due che vogliono innalzarsi sopra i dieci, sia gli altri che hanno invidia di loro (cfr Commento a Matteo, 65, 4: PG 58, 622) [Papa Benedetto]
St John Chrysostom explained: “And this he [Jesus] says to draw them unto him, and to provoke them and to signify that if they would covert he would heal them” (cf. Homily on the Gospel of Matthew, 45, 1-2). Basically, God's true “Parable” is Jesus himself, his Person who, in the sign of humanity, hides and at the same time reveals his divinity. In this manner God does not force us to believe in him but attracts us to him with the truth and goodness of his incarnate Son [Pope Benedict]
Spiega San Giovanni Crisostomo: “Gesù ha pronunciato queste parole con l’intento di attirare a sé i suoi ascoltatori e di sollecitarli assicurando che, se si rivolgeranno a Lui, Egli li guarirà” (Comm. al Vang. di Matt., 45,1-2). In fondo, la vera “Parabola” di Dio è Gesù stesso, la sua Persona che, nel segno dell’umanità, nasconde e al tempo stesso rivela la divinità. In questo modo Dio non ci costringe a credere in Lui, ma ci attira a Sé con la verità e la bontà del suo Figlio incarnato [Papa Benedetto]
This belonging to each other and to him is not some ideal, imaginary, symbolic relationship, but – I would almost want to say – a biological, life-transmitting state of belonging to Jesus Christ (Pope Benedict)
Questo appartenere l’uno all’altro e a Lui non è una qualsiasi relazione ideale, immaginaria, simbolica, ma – vorrei quasi dire – un appartenere a Gesù Cristo in senso biologico, pienamente vitale (Papa Benedetto)
She is finally called by her name: “Mary!” (v. 16). How nice it is to think that the first apparition of the Risen One — according to the Gospels — took place in such a personal way! [Pope Francis]
Viene chiamata per nome: «Maria!» (v. 16). Com’è bello pensare che la prima apparizione del Risorto – secondo i Vangeli – sia avvenuta in un modo così personale! [Papa Francesco]

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