Bishop Enrique Díaz Díaz shares with Exaudi readers his reflection on the  Gospel of this Sunday, July 6, 2025, entitled:  “Your desire for peace will be fulfilled.”

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Isaiah 66:10-14:  “I will make peace flow over her like a river.”

Psalm 65:  “The works of the Lord are marvelous”

Galatians 6:14-18:  “I bear on my body the mark of the sufferings I have endured.”

Luke 10:1-12, 17-20:  “Your desire for peace will be fulfilled.”

Contrary to all campaigns, contrary to all planning, Jesus instructs his disciples in their new mission with very simple proposals: prayer, community (in pairs), and freedom of spirit. No unnecessary burdens, for a straw carried a long way ends up being heavy. With the promptness of one who must deliver an important message, he refuses to be held back by trivialities, but rather seeks the attention of each person, with his desire for peace in every home. Following the example of the hummingbird who, with smallness, with great speed, with immense weakness, seeks the nectar and only the best of each flower, so the disciple must act with generosity, promptness, and seeking only the best in each person and every situation. The results are clear: when inner peace is instilled, life is sown. These are Jesus’ proposals and recommendations. The extraordinary thing is that he is no longer sending only the Twelve, who throughout the Gospel appear close to Jesus. Now the horizon opens, and the mission is entrusted to “the seventy-two,” that is, to a multitude of men and women whose mission is to prepare hearts for the encounter with the Lord. Once one has encountered Christ, one cannot go through life without radiating Him and making Him known, even if one does not speak His name. The mission belongs to every disciple who has found in Christ their reason for living. This joy expands spontaneously and needs no commands, but one must heed Jesus’ recommendations.

Christ asks his disciples to present to the Father the needs of his mission. The most beautiful prayer cannot be that for the same person, nor in one’s own name, but that which arises for and in the name of all. When the needs and suffering from others are shared, prayer inevitably springs forth spontaneously, not because the Lord of the harvest is unaware of our needs, but because by praying we are committing ourselves to the same task as Jesus. To pray is to become aware of the urgency of the Kingdom and the need to provide the most appropriate means; it is to trust in God and assume our mission and responsibility. When we live in harmony with God’s loving plan, there can be no individualistic narrow-mindedness that seeks only our own interests. Rather, prayer becomes “the prayer of the people of God,” which, united in the bond of love, is directed toward the common Father. This is why Jesus insists: “Pray to the Lord of the harvest.” Already in prayer, however personal, Jesus gives us this sense of community, which will later become very clear when he sends them out “two by two,” in synodality, walking together. The mission always has this communal character; it must be carried out two by two, with the aim of showing through actions and life what is proclaimed through words. For the testimony of love and understanding proclaims more than the most beautiful dissertations. Perhaps here we could consider the great importance of the love of a couple and the constructive or destructive effect its experience has on their children and on society.

Jesus does not delude his disciples with false hopes; he clearly tells them the difficulties the mission will bring. With weakness, they must confront the powers of evil. But the first thing is to be careful not to become wolves that go about destroying under the pretext of being disciples. The most important thing is to bring the Gospel and proclaim that the Kingdom of God is near, not to proclaim ourselves and our structures. We must continually check ourselves to see if we are not devouring sheep instead of giving them life. Jesus’ words encourage us to launch out with enthusiasm, but also with due caution. Perhaps the example of the hummingbird can continue to help us: it cannot renounce the nectar of a rose for fear of thorns, but it must be very careful, for a single thorn can make it fall. Let us not delude ourselves; there are wolves, and evil disguises itself and seduces us. But let us not be afraid; the power of the Kingdom is more powerful than evil and its lies. Let us be careful not to place our trust in our own strength and our own methods, for we run the great risk of preaching to ourselves. The joy displayed by the disciples when they jubilantly recounted the adventures of their journey teaches us that true happiness lies not in the thousands of add-ons and requirements the world deceitfully proposes for happiness, but in discovering the joy of inner peace that spreads and fertilizes others.

Furthermore, the Lord sends them to bring his own gift: peace. The disciple is a messenger of peace. The task is for every community to become a “house of peace,” where we learn to defuse hostility through dialogue, where justice is practiced, and forgiveness is safeguarded. Peace is not a spiritual utopia: it is a humble path, made up of everyday gestures, interweaving patience and courage, listening and action. And today, more than ever, it demands our vigilant and generative presence.

How do I feel today, knowing that I have been sent by Jesus as his messenger to announce that the Kingdom of God is near? Where do I place my certainties, and what do I think about Jesus’ demands? Am I a wolf to others? Do I fail to act in accordance with the values ​​of the Kingdom for fear of “the wolves” who threaten the gospel? Can I, like the hummingbird, seek the best in life and bring peace and happiness to others?

Thank you, Good Father. Grant us the generosity to discover that the greatness of the gospel is revealed in smallness, and give us a courageous heart so that we will not be afraid of the wolves of evil. Fill us with the joy and peace that only your love can give. Amen.