Reading

Psalm 66:1-9

Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth;
 sing the glory of his name;
  give to him glorious praise.
 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
  Because of your great power, your enemies cringe before you.
 All the earth worships you;
  they sing praises to you,
  sing praises to your name.”  
 Come and see what God has done:
  he is awesome in his deeds among mortals.
 He turned the sea into dry land;
  they passed through the river on foot.
 There we rejoiced in him,
  who rules by his might forever,
 whose eyes keep watch on the nations—
  let the rebellious not exalt themselves.  
 Bless our God, O peoples;
  let the sound of his praise be heard,
 who has kept us among the living
  and has not let our feet slip.

The Gospel

Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go on your way; I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ And if a person of peace is there, your peace will rest on that person, but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house.  Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’  But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say,  ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’
  “Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”
 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!” He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. Indeed, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will hurt you.  Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”