As part of my own daily devotions I am posting my own paraphrases of the the Daily Lectionary here on my blog (along with a short reflection on one or more of the readings). God willing, this will not be a short term thing.

2 Timothy 4:10-17b
For Demas, enamored with this present world,
deserted me and went to Thessalonica,
Crescens to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.
Luke is the only one with me.
Get Mark and bring him with you,
because he is helpful to me in the ministry,
for I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus.
When you come, bring the cloak I left with Carpus in Troas,
and the scrolls, and especially the parchments.

Alexander the coppersmith did me a great harm;
the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.
You too beware of him,
for he has strongly opposed our message.

At my first defense no one stood with me,
but everyone deserted me.
May it not be held against them!
But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me,
so that through me the message might be fullt proclaimed
and all the Gentiles might hear it.

Psalm 145:10-13, 17-18
All your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and your saints bless you.
They will speak of the glory of your Kingdom
and tell of your might,
to make known to the children of men your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
Your Kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.

The LORD is just in all his ways
and holy in all his ways.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.

Luke 10:1-9
After this the Lord appointed another seventy-two
and sent them ahead of him in pairs
to every town and place he intended to visit.
And he said to them,
“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;
so pray to the Lord of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.
Go on your way;
behold, I am sending you out as lambs among wolves.
Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals;
and greet no one along the way.
Into whatever house you enter,
first say, ‘Peace to this house!.’
If a peaceful person lives there,
your peace will rest on him;
but if not, it will return to you.
Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you,
for the worker deserves payment.
Do not move about from one house to another.
Whenever you enter a town and they welcome you,
eat whatever is set before you,
heal the sick in it and say to them,
‘The Kingdom of God is come near to you.’”

Reflection for Today – On 2 Timothy and Luke
“For Demas, enamored with this present world,
deserted me and went to Thessalonica. . . .”

It is so easy to become enamored with the world.  Technology, entertainment, the pursuit of money or prestige . . . these things can captivate us and take our minds and hearts away from what really matters:  our relationships with God and those we love.  They can also detract from our mission as disciples of Christ.  As Jesus says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.”  May our hearts and minds and focus be on what is essential this day and always.