Fr Kevin Kilgore

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Gospel: Matthew 10: 1-7

Jesus summoned his Twelve disciples
and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out
and to cure every disease and every illness.
The names of the Twelve Apostles are these:
first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew;
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John;
Philip and Bartholomew,
Thomas and Matthew the tax collector;
James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus;
Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot
who betrayed Jesus.

Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus,
“Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town.
Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Much can be said about the selection of the Twelve Apostles. Why were these men chosen? What was it about each of them that elicited Christ’s calling? And when standing shoulder to shoulder, what did the Apostles think about each other?

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It was an incredibly diverse group – so much so that without Christ as their shepherd, some of these men might’ve been bitter enemies. Perhaps that’s part of the point.

There was Peter, often the emboldened spokesperson at the center of it all. John, the Beloved Disciple, the youngest and perhaps most idealistic. Judas, the treasurer turned betrayer. And so on.

But there were two Apostles, in particular, who were polar opposites, Matthew the tax collector and Simon the Zealot.

Jews hated paying taxes to Rome. They wanted their own sovereignty, government, and land. The idea that Matthew, a Jew, would work in cahoots with the Romans was inconceivable to people like Simon.

Simon was likely part of a patriotic movement known as the “Zealots,” who were willing to go to extreme measures, even violence, to fight for Jewish independence. Thus, to him, Matthew would’ve been someone who was “sleeping with the enemy.” 

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Yet Jesus was able to bring all of these men together, setting aside their differences, uniting them under a single purpose: the salvation of souls. It not only speaks to the Lord’s leadership, but also the docility of these men who were open to change.

We still need God’s Spirit to unite us under the bosom of Mother Church today, with the successor of Peter at the very center. Are we not reminded of this after the recent, and necessary, excommunication of the Society of Saint Pius X?

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May the Apostles intercede for us, that we would band together with the same courage, humility, and willingness to change for the salvation of souls.

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Image credits: (1) Our Sunday Visitor (2) Christ Giving the Keys to Saint Peter, Peter Paul Rubens (3) Crossroads Initiative

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Gospel: Mt. 9:32-38

A demoniac who could not speak was brought to Jesus,
and when the demon was driven out the mute man spoke.
The crowds were amazed and said,
“Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”
But the Pharisees said,
“He drives out demons by the prince of demons.”

Jesus went around to all the towns and villages,
teaching in their synagogues,
proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness.
At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them
because they were troubled and abandoned,
like sheep without a shepherd.
Then he said to his disciples,
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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There’s nothing that pained the Lord more than human suffering. Throughout his life, Jesus was moved in his very innards with pity for those who were sick, weak, hungry, sorrowful, and lost. 

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Consider his reaction to the widow of Nain. Seeing her son being carried out of town to his grave overwhelmed the Lord with such sadness that he interrupted the caravan and touched the man’s coffin, commanding him to come back to life.

Or at the sight of lepers who, banished from society, incited fear in everyone who saw them. Instead of running away from such fearful creatures, Jesus embraced them, skin to skin.

And in today’s Gospel, Jesus is moved with pity for the “crowds,” who represent not a single individual, but all of humanity. I can only imagine how troubled he must’ve felt that he didn’t have the time to minister to every individual on a case-by-case basis. 

But instead of throwing his arms up in surrender – as we are sometimes tempted to do ourselves – Jesus turns to his disciples inviting them to participate in his ministry.

“The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few,” he says, “so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”

This marks the beginning of Jesus sharing his power with his disciples, a decision you might say driven by God’s compassion for and pity on humanity.

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Here we find the beautiful, yet deeply challenging, truth of Christianity: Jesus only lived long enough in this world to model for us how we are to respond to suffering.

Not like the religious authorities of his day, who turned religion into a handicap and refused to help the weak and vulnerable in society. Rather, we are to become limbs of Christ himself, continuing the work he started.

Unfortunately, so much of the pain and suffering in this world continues – not because God is unaware or deaf to the cries of the poor – but because some allow a film of indifference to cover their eyes.

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It’s been said a “saint” is simply someone who allows Christ to work through them. 

May we all be “saints,” allowing the compassion of Christ to stir us in our innards, allowing his power and mercy to come alive through us. What might that look like today?

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Image credits: (1) The Calling of the Apostles, Domenico Ghirlandaio (2) Jesus Follower (3) The Essential Challenge of Christianity, Word on Fire

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Gospel: Matthew 9:18-26

While Jesus was speaking, an official came forward,
knelt down before him, and said,
“My daughter has just died.
But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.”
Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples.
A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him
and touched the tassel on his cloak.
She said to herself, “If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured.”
Jesus turned around and saw her, and said,
“Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.”
And from that hour the woman was cured.

When Jesus arrived at the official’s house
and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion,
he said, “Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping.”
And they ridiculed him.
When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand,
and the little girl arose.
And news of this spread throughout all that land.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Matthew describes two cases of healing: a twelve-year-old girl on the brink of death, and a woman who’s been hemorrhaging for the last twelve years.

Together, they represent all of humanity. The girl represents all children who suffer, along with the pain and helplessness of their parents. The older woman represents all who are aging, whose bodies have grown weak under the burden of years.

In each case, if the sick person is to be healed, then the Law must be broken.

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According to Jewish Law, if a person touched a corpse – certainly that of a non-family member – then that person was rendered ritually impure, which prevented them from entering the Temple and impeded their access to God. 

Yet, when Jesus touches the child’s hand, she is healed.  Similarly, when the woman with the flow of blood touches the Lord, she renders him impure. Yet that encounter of faith heals her infirmity.

The irony is stunning.

In both cases, following the Law cements a person’s fate in death. But breaking it in faith leads to life.

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What type of legalism might still exist in the Church today? Are there “laws” that prevent people from encountering Christ?

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If we follow the example of today’s Gospel, then what matters most is not being “perfect” in a legal sense, but having faith in the Son of God, “who has loved us and given himself for us” (Ephesians 5:2).

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Image credits: (1) Unity.org (2) Caritas for Children (3) Pinterest UK