7th Week of Pentecost

Acts 14:19-28
However, some Jews from Antioch and Iconium arrived and won over the crowds. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. But when the disciples gathered around him, he got up and entered the city. On the following day he left with Barnabas for Derbe. After they had proclaimed the good news to that city and made a considerable number of disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch. They strengthened the spirits of the disciples and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying, “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” They appointed presbyters for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord in whom they had put their faith. Then they traveled through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia. After proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia. From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now accomplished. And when they arrived, they called the church together and reported what God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. Then they spent no little time with the disciples.

Luke 10:17-20
The seventy (-two) returned rejoicing, and said, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.” Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky. Behold, I have given you the power ‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

God is more powerful than the devil. The victory belongs to God. However, our joy is not in having power over the devil, but rather in having the love of God. Paul and Barnabas care little for surviving being stoned and care much for the faith of the disciples. How beautiful it would be if we found joy in the faith and conversion of others, and not in the downfall of our enemies.

O Lord, hear our prayer;
heal our sickness, strengthen our weaknesses, make us whiter than the snow by the hyssop of your kindness.
Sanctify our souls,
have pity on us through the prayers of the Blessed One, who gave you birth;
through the prayers of John, who baptized you,
Stephen your deacon,
the prophets and teachers, the apostles and evangelists,
the martyrs and confessors, and all the saints who have done
your will since the time of Adam
and will do it until the end of time.
Pardon us, O Lord, by their holy prayers and granted requests.
Forgive our dead and all the faithful departed.
Then we shall all stand at your right hand
and offer praise to you, your Father, and your Holy Spirit,
now and for ever. Amen.