Reading 1
Jb 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5
The LORD addressed Job out of the storm and said:
Have you ever in your lifetime commanded the morning
and shown the dawn its place
For taking hold of the ends of the earth,
till the wicked are shaken from its surface?
The earth is changed as is clay by the seal,
and dyed as though it were a garment;
But from the wicked the light is withheld,
and the arm of pride is shattered.
Have you entered into the sources of the sea,
or walked about in the depths of the abyss?
Have the gates of death been shown to you,
or have you seen the gates of darkness?
Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth?
Tell me, if you know all:
Which is the way to the dwelling place of light,
and where is the abode of darkness,
That you may take them to their boundaries
and set them on their homeward paths?
You know, because you were born before them,
and the number of your years is great!
Then Job answered the LORD and said:
Behold, I am of little account; what can I answer you?
I put my hand over my mouth.
Though I have spoken once, I will not do so again;
though twice, I will do so no more.
Ps 139:1-3, 7-8, 9-10, 13-14ab
Responsorial PsalmR.
(24b) Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
O LORD, you have probed me and you know me;
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Where can I go from your spirit?
From your presence where can I flee?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I sink to the nether world, you are present there.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
If I take the wings of the dawn,
if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
Even there your hand shall guide me,
and your right hand hold me fast.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Truly you have formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother’s womb.
I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made;
wonderful are your works.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Gospel
Lk 10:13-16
Jesus appointed seventy-two other disciples
whom he sent ahead of him in pairs
to every town and place he intended to visit.
He said to them,
"The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.
Go on your way;
behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.
Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals;
and greet no one along the way.
Into whatever house you enter, first say,
'Peace to this household.'
If a peaceful person lives there,
your peace will rest on him;
but if not, it will return to you.
Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you,
for the laborer deserves his payment.
Do not move about from one house to another.
Whatever town you enter and they welcome you,
eat what is set before you,
cure the sick in it and say to them,
'The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.'
Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you,
go out into the streets and say,
'The dust of your town that clings to our feet,
even that we shake off against you.'
Yet know this: the Kingdom of God is at hand.
I tell you,
it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day
than for that town."
Meditation: Psalm 139
“You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb.” (Psalm 139:13)
When was the last time you thought of yourself as someone handcrafted by the God of the universe?
Let’s start with your skin. The largest organ of the body, it is made up of only three main layers, and yet it does an amazing job of protecting your body. Think, too, of the 100 trillion cells, 206 bones, 600 muscles, and 22 internal organs under your skin that work in unison with each other all the time—even when you are asleep. And if that weren’t enough, think about the human body’s life-preserving systems that enable you to combat disease and take in nourishment.
Oh, how fearfully and wonderfully we are made! From the second that you wake up, your brain sends millions of signals into your eyes, hands, and feet to get you out of bed. Think about how your arms, hands, and fingers enable you to touch, feel, and lift. Think about your legs that carry you, your feet that move you, and even your toes that stabilize you.
But that’s not all. Consider the way your brain is able to imagine, memorize, think, and choose. Think, also, about the apex of your being, which some call your “spirit,” and others call your “heart.” It’s the place where your deepest desires dwell, all your hopes and dreams, as well as your conscience and your ability to love.
Finally, consider that this gift of body, mind, and heart, in all of its glorious complexity, is wrapped up in the greatest gift, the most astounding trait of our humanity: We are all created with the capacity to have deep and eternal fellowship with Almighty God! When he “knit you together,” he set you apart to share in his goodness, his love, and his divinity.
Today, spend some time in prayer thinking about how amazing God’s creation is. You are his masterpiece, and he is very proud of you!
“Marvelous are your works, Lord! I am in awe over how much thought you put into creating me. I praise you and thank you for giving me life.”
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