Author: admin

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Gospel: Matthew 10: 7-15

Jesus said to his Apostles:
“As you go, make this proclamation:
‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
Cure the sick, raise the dead,
cleanse the lepers, drive out demons.
Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.
Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts;
no sack for the journey, or a second tunic,
or sandals, or walking stick.
The laborer deserves his keep.
Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it,
and stay there until you leave.
As you enter a house, wish it peace.
If the house is worthy,
let your peace come upon it;
if not, let your peace return to you.
Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words—
go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet.
Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable
for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment
than for that town.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Last Sunday’s Gospel described the missionary journey of 72 of Jesus’ disciples. They were sent out to preach, to heal, and to cast out demons. Thus, the work of the Church had begun. 

Today’s Gospel describes the very first missionary journey, when Jesus sent out the Twelve. “Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts; no sack for the journey, or a second tunic, or sandals, or a walking stick,” he tells them.

Jesus isn’t attempting to strip his disciples bare. Rather, he is building upon a Jewish tradition, which the Apostles would’ve understood. 

In ancient Israel, it was customary for a person to part with their walking staff, shoes, girdle of money, and to cleanse the dust from their feet before entering the Temple to pray. They were to address God “unburdened.”

Afterwards, a person could gather their belongings and re-enter the world.

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By instructing his disciples to part with all of their things before preaching and healing, Jesus is teaching them to treat the entire world – including every person they meet – as if it is within Temple.

Everyone is a potential dwelling place for God.

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However, practically speaking, if the disciples are going out without a thing to their name, then they’ll need the good will and support of their brothers and sisters along the way.

While the Gospel should be preached free of charge, it is also an honor to care for those who share it, which is why the Church emphasizes the need for charity.

This is particularly true of supporting religious orders like Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity, who keep nothing but the Word of God, and depend entirely our support.

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Perhaps this is what the Lord is asking of us today: to see the world as holy; to care for the poor; and to support those who preach the Gospel – not only in word but with their very lives.

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Image credits: (1) Fritz von Uhde: Journey to Bethlehem 1890 (2) Reaching and Teaching International Ministries (3) Kingdom Upgrowth

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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 this Gospel passage. It’s immensely rich, offering details into the mind and power of Christ, who chooses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. 

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Perhaps the most “miraculous” aspect of it is just how diverse Jesus’ disciples were.

For example, there was Matthew the tax-collector and Simon the Zealot. Both were chosen to be Apostles. But without the Lord, they would’ve been sworn enemies.

Jews hated tax collectors. They were lumped into the same ritual lot as unclean animals, robbers, and murderers. In a word, they were considered scum.

Simon would’ve certainly thought so. He was part of a highly patriotic movement called the “Zealots,” who were willing to go to extreme measures, even violence, to fight for Jewish independence.

Rome was seen as a bitter enemy who suppressed Jewish freedom. Thus, Matthew, a Jewish tax-collector, would’ve been repellent.

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Yet Jesus was able to bring these two men together, setting aside their differences, uniting them under a single purpose: the salvation of souls. 

That’s what we need God’s holy Spirit to continue doing today: unite people from diverse backgrounds, experiences, opinions, even theologies, under the single bosom of Mother Church.

Surely, there’s room for us all.

What are some of the barriers that impede the Church from growing in unity? Conversely, what are some of the ways we can grow together?

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Like Simon and Matthew, this is our mission: to find ways to work together for the salvation of all.

Come, Holy Spirit!

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Image credits: (1) Grace Bible Church (2) Nicolas Poussin (3) 9Marks

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Genesis 32: 22-33

In the course of the night, Jacob arose, took his two wives,
with the two maidservants and his eleven children,
and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.
After he had taken them across the stream
and had brought over all his possessions,
Jacob was left there alone.
Then some man wrestled with him until the break of dawn.
When the man saw that he could not prevail over him,
he struck Jacob’s hip at its socket,
so that the hip socket was wrenched as they wrestled.
The man then said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”
But Jacob said, “I will not let you go until you bless me.”
The man asked, “What is your name?”
He answered, “Jacob.”
Then the man said,
“You shall no longer be spoken of as Jacob, but as Israel,
because you have contended with divine and human beings
and have prevailed.”
Jacob then asked him, “Do tell me your name, please.”
He answered, “Why should you want to know my name?”
With that, he bade him farewell.
Jacob named the place Peniel,
“Because I have seen God face to face,” he said,
“yet my life has been spared.”

At sunrise, as he left Penuel,
Jacob limped along because of his hip.
That is why, to this day, the children of Israel do not eat
the sciatic muscle that is on the hip socket,
inasmuch as Jacob’s hip socket was struck at the sciatic muscle.

The Word of the Lord.

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Most of our prayers to God involve calming things down.

We pray for peace in our world and peace in our hearts.

Healing from pain and suffering.

Forgiveness from red-hot wrath.

All of these things are fair; we should pray for them.

But if we reserve the right to ask God to intervene in our lives, then God reserves the right to respond as he pleases. As we discover throughout the bible, sometimes God works in mysterious ways.

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In our first reading, Jacob is headed home after twenty years of being separated from his brother, Esau. Jacob lied, cheated, and stole from his brother. But now he’s praying for reconciliation.

The night before these two brothers meet, God appears to Jacob in mysterious form, wrestling with him until the dawn. 

Jacob refuses to let go of this divine figure until he receives the Lord’s blessing – and, by extension, the promise of reconciliation with Esau.

God grants it, but not before Jacob’s hip is broken. 

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While Jacob will walk with a painful limp for the rest of his life, his injury will serve as a constant reminder of his change of heart, as well his need to lean upon God, as opposed to his own strength or understanding.

As it’s written in the Book of Proverbs: “Trust in the LORD with all of your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, submit to God and he will make your paths straight.” (Prov. 3:5-6). 

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People of faith pray for peace, healing, and reconciliation – and rightly so. But Jacob reminds us that God may answer our prayers in the most unexpected of ways.

Perhaps this becomes one thing to add to our prayer list: accepting God, and his intervention in our lives, however he sees fit.  

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Image credits: (1) Christian Learning, Shutterstock (2) And Jacob Wrestled, Medium (3) ‘As I see Fit’ Archives