St. Joseph's Catholic Church

Weekly Bulletin and Mass Intentions

Feast of Saint Luke

By the Fathers of the Church

Catena Aurea

1. After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.

CYRIL: God had made known by the Prophets that the preaching of the Gospel of salvation was to embrace not only Israel, but also the Gentile nations; and therefore after the twelve Apostles, there were other seventy-two also appointed by Christ, as it is said, After these things the Lord appointed other seventy-two also.

BEDE: Rightly are seventy-two sent, for to so many nations of the world was the Gospel to be preached, that as at first twelve were appointed because of the twelve tribes of Israel, so, these also were ordained as teachers for the instruction of the foreign nations.

AUGUSTINE, de quaest. Evang.: As also in twenty-four hours the whole world moves round and receives light, so the mystery of enlightening the world by the Gospel of the Trinity, is hinted at in the seventy-two disciples. For three times twenty-four makes seventy-two.

Bede: Now as no one doubts that the twelve Apostles foreshadowed the order of Bishops, so also we must know that these seventy-two represented the presbytery, (that is, the second order of priests.) Nevertheless, in the earliest times of the Church, as the Apostolical writings bear witness, both were called presbyters, both also called bishops, the former of these signifying “ripeness of wisdom,” the latter, “diligence in the pastoral care.”

CYRIL: An outline of this ordinance also was set forth in the words of Moses, who at the command of God chose out seventy, upon whom God poured out His Spirit. In the book of Numbers also it was written of the children of Israel, that they came to Elim, which is by interpretation “ascent,” and there were there twelve fountains of water, and seventy palm trees. For when we fly to spiritual refreshment, we shall find twelve fountains, namely, the holy Apostles, from whom we imbibe the knowledge of salvation as from the well-springs of the Savior; and seventy palms, that is, those who were now appointed by Christ. For the palm is a tree of sound core, striking deep root and fruitful, always growing by the water side, yet at the same time putting forth its leaves upwards. It follows, And he sent them two and two.

GREGORY. in Evang.: He sends the disciples to preach two and two, because there are two commands of charity, the love of God, and love of our neighbor; (and charity cannot exist without at least two;) thereby silently suggesting to us, that he who has not love to another, ought not to undertake the office of preaching.

ORIGEN: Likewise also the twelve were reckoned by two and two, as Matthew shows in his enumeration of them. For that two should be joined in service, seems from the word of God to be an ancient custom. For God led Israel out of Egypt by the hands of Moses and Aaron. Joshua and Caleb also, united together, appeased the people who had been provoked by the twelve spies. Hence it is said, A brother assisted by a brother is as a fortified city.

BASIL: At the same time it is implied by this, that if any are equal in spiritual gifts, they should not suffer a fondness for their own opinion to get the better of them.

GREG.: It is rightly added, before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. For the Lord follows His preachers, since the preaching comes first, and then the Lord enters into the tabernacle of our heart; seeing, that through the words of exhortation going before, truth is received into the mind. Hence Isaias says to the preachers, Prepare you the way of the Lord, make straight a highway for our God.

2. Therefore said he to them, The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few: pray you therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest.

THEOPHYL.: The Lord had appointed the disciples for the sake of the multitude, who were in want of teachers. For as our corn fields require many reapers, so the innumerable company of those who are to believe need many teachers, as it follows, The harvest truly is great.

CHRYSOSTOM.: But how does He give the name of harvest to a work only just now at its beginning? the plough not yet put down, nor the furrows turned, He yet speaks of harvests, for His disciples might waver and say, how can we so small a number convert the whole world? how can foolish men reform the wise, naked men those that are armed, subjects their rulers? Lest they should be disturbed then by such thoughts, He calls the Gospel a harvest; as if He says, All things are ready, I send you to a gathering of fruits already prepared. You can sow and reap the same day. As then the husbandmen goes out to harvest rejoicing, much more also and with greater cheerfulness must you go out into the world. For this is the true harvest, which shows the fields all prepared for you.

GREG.: But not without deep sorrow can we add, but the laborers are few. For although there are who would hear good things they are wanting who should spread them. Behold the world is full of priests, but seldom is there found a laborer in God’s harvest, because we undertake indeed the priestly office, but we perform not its works.

BEDE: Now as the great harvest is this whole multitude of believers, so the few laborers are the Apostles, and their followers who are sent to this harvest.

CYRIL: As the large fields require many reapers, so also do the multitude of believers in Christ. Hence He adds, Pray you therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest. Now mark that when He said, Pray you therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into the harvest, He afterwards Himself performed it. He then is the Lord of the harvest, and by Him, and together with Him, God the Father rules over all.

CHRYS. in Matthaeum: But he afterwards increased them greatly, not by adding to their number, but awarding to them power. He implies that it is a great gift to send laborers into the divine harvest, by His saying that the Lord of the harvest must be prayed to upon this account.

GREG.: Hereby also the people must be induced to pray for their pastors, that they may be able to work what is good for them, and that their tongue grow not lifeless in exhortation. For often for their own wickedness their tongue is tied. But often for the fault of the people it comes to pass that the word of preaching is withdrawn from their rulers.

3. Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.

CYRIL: Luke next relates, that the seventy disciples obtained for themselves from Christ apostolical learning, lowliness, innocency, justice, and to prefer no worldly things to holy preachings, but to aspire to such fortitude of mind as to be afraid of no terrors, not even death itself. He adds therefore, Go.

San Lucas

Palabras de los Padres de la Iglesia

Aurea Catena

1. Después de esto, el Señor designó a otros setenta y los envió de dos en dos delante de sí a toda ciudad y lugar adonde él mismo había de ir.

CIRILO: Dios había dado a conocer por medio de los profetas que la predicación del Evangelio de la salvación no solo abarcaría a Israel, sino también a las naciones gentiles; y por eso, después de los doce Apóstoles, Cristo designó también a otros setenta y dos, tal como se dice: «Después de esto, el Señor designó a otros setenta y dos».

BEDA: Con razón se envía a setenta y dos, pues a otras tantas naciones del mundo había de predicarse el Evangelio; así como al principio se designó a doce debido a las doce tribus de Israel, de igual modo estos fueron ordenados maestros para la instrucción de las naciones extranjeras.

AGUSTÍN, De quaest. Evang.: Así como en veinticuatro horas el mundo entero gira y recibe la luz, el misterio de iluminar el mundo mediante el Evangelio de la Trinidad se prefigura en los setenta y dos discípulos. Pues tres veces veinticuatro suman setenta y dos.

BEDA: Ahora bien, así como nadie duda de que los doce Apóstoles prefiguraron el orden de los obispos, debemos saber también que estos setenta y dos representaban el presbiterio (es decir, el segundo orden de los sacerdotes). No obstante, en los primeros tiempos de la Iglesia, como atestiguan los escritos apostólicos, a ambos se les llamaba presbíteros y a ambos obispos: el primer término significaba «madurez de sabiduría» y el segundo, «diligencia en el cuidado pastoral».

CIRILO: Un esbozo de esta disposición se presentó también en las palabras de Moisés, quien, por mandato de Dios, eligió a setenta sobre los cuales Dios derramó su Espíritu. También en el libro de los Números se escribió acerca de los hijos de Israel que llegaron a Elim —que significa «ascenso»—, donde había doce fuentes de agua y setenta palmeras. Pues cuando volamos hacia el refrigerio espiritual, hallamos doce fuentes —es decir, los santos Apóstoles—, de quienes bebemos el conocimiento de la salvación como de los manantiales del Salvador; y setenta palmeras —esto es, aquellos que fueron designados por Cristo—. Porque la palmera es un árbol de tronco firme, de raíces profundas y fructífero, que crece siempre junto a las aguas, pero que al mismo tiempo extiende sus hojas hacia lo alto. A continuación se dice: «Y los envió de dos en dos».

GREGORIO (en el Comentario al Evangelio): Envía a los discípulos a predicar de dos en dos porque existen dos preceptos de la caridad: el amor a Dios y el amor al prójimo (y la caridad no puede existir sin al menos dos personas); sugiriéndonos así, tácitamente, que quien no ama al prójimo no debe asumir la misión de predicar.

ORÍGENES: Asimismo, los doce fueron contados de dos en dos, como muestra Mateo al enumerarlos. Pues que dos se unan en el servicio parece ser, según la palabra de Dios, una costumbre antigua. Dios sacó a Israel de Egipto por mano de Moisés y Aarón. También Josué y Caleб, unidos, apaciguaron al pueblo que había sido incitado por los doce espías. De ahí que se diga: «El hermano ayudado por su hermano es como una ciudad fortificada».

BASILIO: Al mismo tiempo, esto implica que, si algunos son iguales en dones espirituales, no deben permitir que el apego a su propia opinión se imponga sobre ellos.

GREGORIO: Con acierto se añade: «delante de sí, a toda ciudad y lugar adonde Él mismo había de ir». Pues el Señor sigue a sus predicadores, ya que primero viene la predicación y luego el Señor entra en el tabernáculo de nuestro corazón, puesto que, mediante las palabras de exhortación que preceden, la verdad es acogida en la mente. Por eso dice Isaías a los predicadores: «Preparad el camino del Señor, enderezad una calzada para nuestro Dios».