Breaking the Word

GOSPEL READING: LUKE 10:1-12

After this the Lord appointed seventy (-two) others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit

Were there seventy or seventy two? There has been much discussion on this. It should have had some symbolic meaning. If Luke was seeing Jesus in the light of Moses then the symbolic meaning had an interesting result. Moses chose 70 elders to assist him and thy were given a share in God’s spirit (Numbers 11.16,25). The 70 were to assist Moses in leading the people (exodus). Here Jesus has begun a journey of New Exodus and hence the 70 were appointed to assist in this mission.

The message of the 70 was, ‘Peace to this household’. But the Jews of the time of Jesus were for all out war against the Romans and Samaritans etc. They wanted justice to be done which would only mean destroying the enemy. But the kingdom that Jesus was ushering in was to reveal the love of God and that too a healing love of God. This healing love of God was seen in peace, peace with everyone. So the new exodus was leading people forward to the kingdom with peace and not looking backward (to Egypt for the people of Israel at the time of Moses) with violence and hatred towards enemies.

நற்செய்தி வாசகம்: லூக்கா 10:1-12

இதற்குப்பின்பு ஆண்டவர் வேறு எழுபத்திரண்டு (எழுபது) பேரை நியமித்து, அவர்களைத் தாம் போகவிருந்த எல்லா ஊர்களுக்கும் இடங்களுக்கும் தமக்கு முன்னே இருவர் இருவராக அனுப்பினார்.

எழுபதா? எழுபத்திரண்டா? இது ஒரு அடையாள எண் அதற்கு ஒரு பொருளிருக்கவேண்டும். எண்ணிக்கை நூல் 11: 16,25 எழுபது மூப்பர்களைப் பற்றி கூறுகிறது.

GOSPEL READING: MATTHEW 18:1-5,10

For I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father

The disciples are taught to become like the little children. For the children there is no greatest and smallest. They do not work on profits, gains, power, position and they do not play politics. They only seek for the basic things like food etc. They do not manipulate.

The representatives of the children are already in heaven. Each child has his/her representative (angel) in front of God. The angel is the link between God and the child. Hence a child should not be despised.

நற்செய்தி வாசகம்: மத்தேயு 18:1-5,10

இவர்களுடைய வானதூதர்கள் என் விண்ணகத் தந்தையின் திருமுன் எப்பொழுதும் இருக்கின்றார்கள்

ஒவ்வொரு குழந்தைக்கும் ஒரு காவல்த்தூதன் உண்டு. அத்தூதரே அவருக்கு பிரதிநிதி. அவர் எப்போதும் அவருக்காக இறைவன்முன் நின்றுகொண்டிருக்கிறார். அவரே கடவுளுக்கும் அந்த குழந்தைக்கும் இடையே உள்ள தொடர்பு.