Fourteenth Sunday In Ordinary Time:

Peace In The Fray

THE HARVEST IS ABUNDANT BUT THE LABORERS ARE FEW.

God, send us your Spirit to give us courage and joy. Help us notice the needs around us and respond with trust and love. Teach us to show up—not with everything figured out, but with open hearts, ready to bring peace wherever we go. Amen.

When have you stepped into a situation feeling like you had little to offer—yet found that just showing up made a difference?

Maryknoll Father Michael Snyder, second from right, served as a chaplain at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. 

As missionary disciples, we often find ourselves in unfamiliar places, unsure of what to say or do. But sometimes, just showing up is enough. Maryknoll Father Mike Snyder served as a university chaplain in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where he accompanied students visiting orphanages, homes for the elderly, and centers for people with disabilities. “I didn’t lead or offer any big advice,” he said. “I was just there.” The students later told him how much his presence meant—he gave them space to discover their own way to support others. His quiet example reminded them—and reminds us—that mission doesn’t always mean having the answers. Sometimes it means listening, standing beside others, and letting love speak through our presence.

At that time the Lord appointed seventy-two others 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.'” Luke 10:1-9

Jesus sends the seventy-two in vulnerable simplicity. They are sent with nothing but a greeting of peace. Like them, we’re often called to show up with little more than open hands and willing hearts. In a world full of conflict and distraction, that can feel risky. But Jesus invites us to rely on the generosity of others and to trust that our presence matters. Walking into someone’s life with humility—not with answers—is how we begin to build peace. That’s what it means to be sent: not to fix everything, but to be part of healing by standing in solidarity and love.

Where are you being invited to be an instrument of peace—especially in a place that feels uncertain or hard?

Imagine having to leave home with only a small bag, unsure of where you’re going. For thousands of children entering foster care, this is a reality. Many arrive at new homes with just a trash bag holding a few clothes. One small way to bring peace in this moment is to provide comfort: a backpack, clean clothes, a soft blanket, a book. Look for local programs in your area that support children in crisis and lend a hand by volunteering or making a donation.

God of peace, thank you for reminding us that we don’t need to have everything figured out to be part of your mission. Send us with trust, send us with love, and send us with each other—ready to share peace, even in small ways, wherever we go. Amen.