“Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.”  This is the message we take from this Sunday’s readings.  This we sing joyfully in the Responsorial Psalm and this we are called to as we journey back out into the world this week.  In the 2nd reading from the Letter from St. Paul to the Galatians, Paul is telling the people that they should not boast about their own doings but about “the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” (GAL 6:14)  We must take care to avoid worrying so much over details that we lose sight of what is truly important, sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with the world.  Paul continues, “From now on, let no one make troubles for me; for I bear the marks of Jesus on my body.” (GAL 6:17)  Through our own baptism, we too are marked by Jesus Christ and are called to share the joy of our Lord with the world by witnessing to others through how we live our lives.

   In today’s Gospel from Luke chapter 10 we hear of Jesus sending out the 72 to do just this.  They are carefully instructed to go forth very simply with, “no money bag, no sack, no sandals.” (LK 10:4)  Imagine this for a moment.  They are sent out with virtually nothing and they were received into people’s homes.  But did they truly have “nothing”?  Perhaps they possessed something much greater.  They carried a Faith in God that despite having little, He would take care of them.  They carried themselves with this Faith such that those who saw them would recognize it.  Would those we come into contact within our daily lives see this same faith in us?  Not those who we know or who know we are Catholic but those who only know us by our simplest of actions.  How can we help ourselves to live in this manner?  It requires a constant connection to God.  This can only be achieved through prayer, constant communication with our Lord and good communication requires us to not only be heard but to listen.

   “Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.”  Let our actions this week exude God’s joy such that it will be heard by all like a loud cry.