Feria Secunda infra Hebdomadam I post Octavam Paschæ invites us to dwell anew on the victory of Christ’s Resurrection and its demands on His disciples. In the joy of Easter, the Church places before us two profound readings: St. Paul’s exhortation to the Corinthians (1 Cor 1:17–25) and Our Lord’s sending of the seventy-two disciples (Luke 10:1–9). Together, they reveal the heart of the Christian mission: to preach Christ crucified and risen, with a spirit of holy simplicity and trust.
Christ the Power and Wisdom of God
St. Paul declares:
“For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not in wisdom of speech, lest the cross of Christ should be made void. […] But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews indeed a stumblingblock, and unto the Gentiles foolishness: but unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1 Cor 1:17, 23–24)
In the spirit of Paschaltide, we recognize that the Cross, once the sign of utter defeat, now stands as the standard of victory. St. Augustine reflects:
“What is more foolish to the world than the Cross? And what is more powerful to the faithful than the Cross? In the death of Christ, death itself has been conquered.” (Sermon 218C)
The Resurrection has revealed the paradox of divine wisdom: that salvation comes not through human strength or eloquence, but through humble surrender to the will of God. St. John Chrysostom explains:
“It was by things that appeared foolish that He overcame the wisdom of the world: by sufferings He overcame those who were in pleasure; by death He overcame those who lived; by the Cross He overcame the sword.” (Homily on 1 Corinthians 4)
Thus, for the Christian, boasting is no longer in self, but in Christ crucified and risen. This pattern shapes all authentic preaching and living: to proclaim not ourselves, but Him who died and rose for us.
The Harvest is Great, the Laborers Few
In the Gospel, Our Lord, full of compassion for the multitude, sends out seventy-two disciples, instructing them:
“The harvest indeed is great, but the labourers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send labourers into his harvest.” (Luke 10:2)
The urgency of the mission flows directly from the Resurrection: the fields are white for harvest, and the message of salvation must be carried swiftly and simply. The instructions Christ gives — “Carry no purse, nor scrip, nor shoes” — show that the power of the missionary is not in earthly provisions, but in trust in God.
St. Gregory the Great, commenting on this passage, teaches:
“He sends the preachers without money and without shoes, because he who preaches the kingdom of God should not have his heart entangled in worldly affairs, nor his steps hindered by earthly desires.” (Homilies on the Gospels, 17)
Moreover, St. Ambrose reflects on the spirit of peace that the disciples must carry:
“Peace is the first greeting, for it is the mother of all good things. The house that welcomes peace welcomes Christ Himself.” (Commentary on Luke 7)
The mission, then, is marked by a supernatural charity: proclaiming peace, healing the sick, and announcing that the Kingdom of God is at hand — all in the strength of the Cross and Resurrection.
Living the Paschal Mission
During this sacred season, we are invited not only to rejoice in Christ’s triumph but to participate in it by our witness. To a world that sees the Cross as folly, we proclaim it as the wisdom of God. To a world longing for peace, we bring the message of the Resurrection.
Let us, then, as faithful laborers, pray for more workers in the vineyard, and let us go forth ourselves, carrying nothing but the treasure of Christ in our hearts.
In the words of the Easter Preface:
“By dying, He has destroyed our death, and by rising, He has restored our life.”