Today's gospel reports 72 disciples coming back thrilled because they have discovered that there is power to be had in being a disciple of Jesus. While acknowledging the power, Jesus gives them a simple warning.
do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven
Jesus knows human nature. He knows how dangerous seeking power, even if we intend to use it for good can be. The more power we have (or think we have), the more we want. It gives a sense of control which in turn gives us sense of safety.
The down side is that it grounds us. You may ask, isn't it good to be ground? Not if you are intended to fly. The search power keeps us planted on earth. It anchors us to the temporary.
Jesus reminds the disciples and us that we are intended for something beyond our imagining, eternal life. Perhaps that is the problem. It is truly beyond our imagining. We cannot comprehend the grandeur of what God has in store for us, and so we reach for what we can see.
Jesus tells us, his disciples, to rejoice because our names are written in heaven. We are call to not just reach for the stars, but even beyond the stars, to reach for a joy, a peace, a perfection, and a life that I cannot even begin to imagine.
