Jesus sends seventy-two disciples ahead of Him—thirty-six pairs to thirty-six towns—to prepare His way, to see what towns would welcome Him and which would not, to begin opening hearts and minds to the Gospel He brings. He sends them with nothing but what they have learned from Him, why? They are going out as He goes out, relying on His Father to provide, and knowing that there will be true children of Israel who will care for His disciples. By curing the sick they will see the followers of Jesus doing what they have heard Jesus doing, and they will know that their testimony is true.
We, too, have been sent ahead to every town and place Jesus intends to visit: all of them. Wherever we find ourselves we are meant to prepare His way by our Christian example, such that when He comes again—at a day and time which only the Father knows—people will be ready to welcome Him, running to Him with joy rather than fleeing Him in terror. What are we doing, day by day, to join in the mission of these seventy-two? What are we doing to prepare our families, our homes, our workplaces, our parishes, our communities, for the coming of Jesus?