Sunday Readings for July 5-6, Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Lyn Zahorik | For On Mission
As I read the Gospel for this Sunday, I asked myself if I would have been eager to sign on as one of Jesus’ disciples? Being able to tread on a scorpion and not be harmed sounds kind of exciting. However, Jesus’ job description — that one will be going out as a lamb among wolves, relying totally on the generosity of others for all their needs — would have done little to encourage me to sign on the dotted line.
Seventy-two people responded to Jesus’ call and accepted his challenge to discipleship. You can hear the urgency in Jesus as he describes the harvest as plentiful but the laborers few. He instructs his followers to go out with faith, relying on God’s providence and bringing peace to those who receive them.
For most of my life, door-to-door evangelism has been associated with the Jehovah’s Witnesses. I remember my parents hiding when the doorbell rang. Recently, I had a similar experience. Our parish elders receive goodies in personally delivered Christmas stockings and Easter baskets. When there is no answer at a home, I leave the basket and a card at the door. Two days after one delivery, I received a note at the parish: “Sorry, we did not answer the door. We thought you were a Jehovah’s Witness.”
The same urgency Jesus expressed for evangelism has reemerged in the Catholic Church. Through programs, personal testimonies, and times of prayer, the church is forming disciples who go beyond the door-to-door “Do you know Jesus?”
Modern discipleship doesn’t necessarily mean leaving everything behind like the original Twelve. Instead, it’s about following Jesus in the context of everyday life — at work, in relationships, and within communities. Being a disciple of Jesus today means embracing his teachings and striving to live a life that reflects his love, grace and truth. Disciples will be visible within the parish through volunteering, hosting events and participating in service projects.
The Church, by reintroducing to her disciples the practice of Lectio Divina, the experience of Eucharistic Adoration and the importance of a personal spiritual life, leads them on a path that allows them to deepen their relationship with Jesus.
Evangelization is not just about preaching; it’s about forming meaningful connections. Listening, understanding and showing compassion can open doors for deeper conversations about faith. As the new generation of evangelists, we are encouraged to become comfortable sharing our faith stories in ways that foster respectful discussions, inviting curiosity and reflection.
Jesus told his disciples (and us) to be filled with joy, not because of what they could do or say, but because their names are written in heaven. As disciples of Jesus, we should desire to write a name as well: the name of Jesus. And each day, may we write it within our mind, body and soul.
Lyn Zahorik is the director for spiritual engagement at St. Mary Parish, Omro, and St. Mary Parish, Winneconne.
The readings for Sunday, July 6, can be found at Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time | USCCB.