10 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two[a] others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
5 “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
8 “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’ 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
13 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades.[b]
The honor given to the priests
Saint John Chrysostom, Homilies at Genesis, homily LXV, IV, in Church Fathers and Writers (1989), vol. 22, pp. 320-321
So Joseph established it as a law concerning land in Egypt—still in force today—that a fifth of the produce belongs to Pharaoh. It was only the land of the priests that did not become Pharaoh’s. (Genesis 47, 26). Let them hear what care those from the ancient times had for the priests of the idols.
They should learn to give at least the same honor to those to whom it was entrusted the officiation of the Liturgy of the God of universe. If those as some misguided and worshipers of idols honored so much their priests because they thought for this the idols would reward them, what a damnation deserve those who don`t give the due honor to the priests? Don`t you know that this honor is brought to the Lord of the universe? Don`t look at the priest who receives this honor. Not for the sake of the priest you must honor him, but for the sake of that One for whom the priest serves the holy services, as you receive a rich reward from Him. That is why Christ said:
Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25, 40) and: ` Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. (Matthew 10, 41). Do you think that the Lord listens to his supplications and rewards you for the worthiness or unworthiness of the priest ? No! For your zeal He rewards or condemns you! As the honor you give to the priests gives you great audacity – God considering that the honor you give to the priest is given to Him – the despise you give to the priests brigs you a great damnation.
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