Fr Kevin Kilgore

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Gospel: Matthew 10: 16-23

Jesus said to his Apostles:
“Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves;
so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.
But beware of men, 
for they will hand you over to courts
and scourge you in their synagogues,
and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake
as a witness before them and the pagans.
When they hand you over,
do not worry about how you are to speak
or what you are to say.
You will be given at that moment what you are to say.
For it will not be you who speak
but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Brother will hand over brother to death,
and the father his child;
children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but whoever endures to the end will be saved.
When they persecute you in one town, flee to another.
Amen, I say to you, you will not finish the towns of Israel
before the Son of Man comes.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Father Walter Ciszek, S.J., spent twenty-three years in Soviet prison camps after being falsely accused of being a spy.

In his memoir, With God in Russia, Ciszek describes the horrific rigors of daily life, how prisoners lived under constant surveillance, worked inhumane hours, were tortured, and faced the constant threat of death. 

Determined to break him, Soviet officers drugged him, beat him, interrogated him, and occasionally, moved him from one camp to another.

Little did the guards realize that every time they moved Father Walter from one prison to another, they helped to stretch the kingdom of God.

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Everywhere he went, Father Walter celebrated Mass under the cover of darkness, led retreats, taught prisoners how to pray, and even baptized once hardened criminals. He was like a light shining in the darkness. 

All of this came as no surprise to him. Jesus predicted it would happen in today’s Gospel.

“Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves,” he says. “Men will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness.” 

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What happened to Father Walter also happened to the first Christians. 

When they were persecuted in one town, they fled to the next. Doing so caused the Gospel to spread further and further, until it reached the ends of the world.

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So, what does this mean for us?

The Gospel can spread under every conceivable circumstance, even in labor camps, public floggings, and kangaroo courts. If it can spread there, then it can also spread around us.

Regardless of what our circumstances may be in this moment – whether we’re filled with blessings, or in dire need of grace – the Gospel can spread.

Much of that potential is determined by our own attitude, and how responsive we are to grace. 

Father Walter Ciszek, pray for us.

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Image credits: (1) Tony Mangia, Twitter (2) America Magazine (3) The Word Among Us

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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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Immediately after inviting the disciples to share in his mission, Jesus puts them to the test.

They’re commanded to journey through the rocky terrain of Palestine with neither sandals nor food, not even a walking stick! 

Why does Jesus strip his disciples of such basic human necessities?

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To teach them how to trust. God will provide for their every need, often through the goodness of others. 

For example, when the disciples’ stomachs grumbled, someone would provide them with food. When their bodies were tired and achy, someone would shelter them. When they entered a new town preaching the Gospel, someone would be open to receiving the Word.

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Perhaps you and I are not tested like the disciples were, but we’re all challenged to trust that God will provide for our every need.

Maybe we need a door opened; a prayer answered; our mental or physical health restored. 

“Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him,” Jesus says.

But sometimes we must be patient.

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May the Lord grant us the grace to believe, and to wait patiently for Him to act.

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Image credits: (1) World Outreach Church (2) My Treasure Box (3) Jesus is the Centre, Gospel Teaching Life Church

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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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One of the remarkable traits of Jesus was his ability to bring people together. 

For example, today he calls the Twelve Apostles. Some of these men would never have been friends without the Lord.

Consider Simon and Matthew.

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Simon was a member of the Zealot party, a group of Jewish patriots who viewed the Roman Empire as an invading force that stole their freedom. They wanted independence and would do almost anything for it.

Then there’s Matthew, also a Jew, who served the Empire as a tax-collector. Matthew would’ve been seen by Simon as sleeping with the enemy.

And, somehow, Jesus brought these men together, uniting them under a single purpose – the salvation of souls.

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That’s what the Holy Spirit still does today.

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The Spirit fosters harmony; inspires forgiveness; heals wounded hearts; and enables people with divergent – even conflicting – views to set aside their differences to work together for a greater purpose.

How do I feel the Holy Spirit working in my life? How do I serve with others to build the kingdom of God?

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Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. Enkindle in us the fire of your love, and we shall renew the face of the earth.

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Image credits: (1) Icon of Jesus, Pantocrator, World History Encyclopedia (2) St. Elisabeth Convent (3) Pittsboro Presbyterian Church