The Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist yesterday takes us back to the beginning of the previous chapter of his gospel (Lk 10:1-9).  Again we read of Jesus sending ahead of Him the seventy-two, giving them the warning above, asking them to pray for more helpers, and telling them to cure the sick and preach the nearness of the Kingdom of God.  We know that this initial warning is not meant for these six dozen disciples only.  It is meant for anyone, anywhere, at anytime who has ever proclaimed boldly their faith.  So we should be seeing this in ourselves.  And maybe we have experienced the “wolves” — those persons who mocked us for our beliefs, or those who went after us because they didn’t like the message, or those who reacted strongly to a Catholic faithful because of their negative or distorted views of the Church.  Any such experiences should not discourage us, anger us, or dissuade us from proclaiming the Good News.  Remember, it is Jesus who is sending us out!  He tells the disciples to take nothing along because He is supplying all they need.  So He supplies all our needs.  “Be not afraid!”  We heard that refrain regularly from 1978-2005.  And Blessed John Paul undoubtedly continues to intercede for those whose fear of the consequences of a bold proclamation of the gospel hinders or prevents them from preaching the gospel through their example and words.  Let us not stop spreading the Word and never quit asking for the intercessory prayers of those great men and women who exemplified fearlessness in living their lives for Christ and His message.