As we find ourselves in the liturgical season of Easter, a time rich with the joy of the Resurrection, the Church invites us to continue reflecting on the mystery of Christ’s triumph and our participation in His mission. On this Thursday after the Third Sunday of Easter, our readings from Ezekiel and Luke offer profound insights into the nature of divine call and response.
Ezekiel 1:10-14: The Vision of God’s Majesty
In Ezekiel 1:10-14, the prophet describes a vision of four living creatures, each with four faces: of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle. These images are striking and filled with symbolic meaning, often interpreted as representations of the highest virtues, the evangelists, or the majestic omnipresence of God in His creation.
“The appearance of their faces was like the faces I had seen by the river Kebar. Their appearances and themselves: they went each in the direction of its face” (Ezekiel 1:10). This passage speaks to the diversity within unity in God’s design—the different faces pointing to the comprehensive nature of God’s sovereignty over all creation.
The movement of the creatures, “wherever the spirit would go, they went,” and the tumultuous sound of their motion, “like the noise of an army,” remind us of the awe-inspiring power and glory of God. This vision invites us to acknowledge God’s overwhelming majesty and His active presence in the world, a theme that connects deeply with the Easter season’s celebration of divine life and power.
Luke 10:1-9: The Harvest is Plentiful
Transitioning from the Old Testament to the Gospel, Luke 10:1-9 shifts our focus from divine majesty to divine mission. Here, Christ appoints seventy-two others and sends them out in pairs to every town and place He intends to visit. “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Luke 10:2).
This passage does not merely describe a historical event but invites each of us to see ourselves as laborers in the great harvest of souls, called to participate in God’s redemptive plan. The instructions Jesus gives to His disciples are marked by urgency and dependency on God: carry no purse, no bag, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. These directives emphasize the spiritual nature of their mission and the reliance on God’s providence and presence.
Connecting the Visions: Presence and Mission
Bringing these passages together, we see a beautiful symmetry. Ezekiel’s vision emphasizes the omnipotence and omnipresence of God, a God who moves powerfully in creation, guiding the creatures wherever the spirit goes. Luke’s account of the sending of the seventy-two highlights the mission of the Church, driven by the Holy Spirit, to move throughout the world, spreading the Good News.
On this Thursday after the Third Sunday of Easter, we are reminded that our God is both a God of majestic presence and dynamic sending. Like the creatures in Ezekiel’s vision, we are called to move in accordance with the Spirit’s guidance. And like the seventy-two, we are sent out with nothing but the Gospel and reliance on God, to speak peace to those we meet and proclaim that the Kingdom of God has come near.
In our Easter joy, let us then move forward with confidence and humility, embodying the majesty and mission of Christ, and trusting in the Spirit who guides our steps in the great harvest of the New Evangelization.