Editing Blog:"and greet no one along the way" (section)

== A little personal missionary journey ==
[[File:Good Will Tour 2013 Grayhound Bus interior.jpg|thumb|<small>[https://goodwilltour2013.wordpress.com/ Goodwill Tour 2013] Greyhound bus interior</small>]]
My friend and I once journeyed across the Piedmont by Greyhound bus in order to meet people who could use a little help in the form of an envelope with some dollars in it, slipped quietly to the person if the story expressesd a genuine, little need. Across a week, we encountered wonderful people, sad people, scared people, and malicious people. This was before my conversion, so it was not, for me, proselytizing, and instead, simple charity. It was moreso that for my friend, who also wanted to "give away money to someone who won't be able to ask for more later"). Still, we were spreading cheer and good will that, I trust, some of those encounters are remembered still by those we met. I remember them all well. (Here for our blog from the trip: [https://goodwilltour2013.wordpress.com/ Goodwill Tour 2013.])  

The satisfacton or hearing personal stories, helping out a little, and seeing a thankful smile or ray of hope enlighten a distressing day is inexplicably beautiful. I didn't know it at the time, but it is precisely what the Lord wants from us. We returned home exhausted and exhilerated from what was, truly, nothing -- zero -- like what the Seventy-Two experenced. They were sent by God himself to preach his very Word. Imagine!  

As did the Twelve, the Seventy-Two "returned rejoicing" -- a vast understatement  but one that can be understood: they were thrilled, exhilerated, happy, satisifed, filled with wonder -- and rejoiced in it. They, 

<blockquote>returned rejoicing, and said, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.” ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/10?17 Lk 10:17])</blockquote>

We don't know the details, although it's fun to think about -- who rejected them, who kicked them out of the synagogue or temple, who they healed, which demons they crushed, and how the name "Jesus" makes anything possible.     

And that was without having stopped to talk to anyone along the way.

June 3, 2024 by Michael
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<center>''St. Joseph, pray for us!''</center>
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