Fr Kevin Kilgore

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Gospel: Matthew 10: 1-4

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.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Much can be said about this Gospel passage.

It is immensely rich, offering details into the mind and power of Christ, who chooses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. 

This has never changed; the Church remains a community of ordinary believers who’ve done extraordinary things over the last two millennia, from constructing architectural masterpieces to rebuilding lives.

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But allow me to hone in on a single point today: the vast difference, humanly speaking, between the disciples.

Consider Matthew, the tax-collector, and Simon the Zealot. Both were chosen by Christ, but without Him, they would’ve been bitter enemies.

Matthew and Simon were Jewish.

In their days, the Jews largely broke down into four major parties: the Scribes, the Pharisees, the Essenes, and the Zealots. 

The Zealots were precisely that – zealous, patriots par excellence for Israel, often willing to go to extreme measures to fight for the Jewish nation. 

Rome was their bitter enemy, an invading force that kept the Jews from living freely. Matthew, although Jewish, was a Roman tax-collector who would’ve been hated by the Zealots. In a sense, Matthew was sleeping with the enemy.

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Jesus brings these two men together. He bridges the divide; heals the hatred; he unites these men under a single purpose – the salvation of souls.

That’s what God does; he unites. It’s what religion is meant to do. 

Yet how often is religion a source of division, even hatred? 

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This is, perhaps, one of the best litmus tests for our faith: has it brought us closer to other people, even those whom we’d otherwise avoid? Does it inspire us to work for peace? Has it caused us to grow in love for our neighbor?

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Just as Christ summoned his disciples and gave them authority on earth, so the invites us to bridge gaps in understanding, to cast out evil, and to create a world of peace.

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Image credits: (1) Compelling Truth (2) Domenico Ghirlandaio, The Calling of the Apostles (3) National Catholic Reporter

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Matthew 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.”

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“His heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36).

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Why does Jesus often refer to us as sheep?

Because sheep are defenseless.

They have no claws, no paws, no venom, and no fangs. When attacked, they have no way of defending themselves.

Their only strength lies in their closeness to the shepherd. He is their strength.

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The same is true for us.

How many times have we felt, “troubled or abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd?” 

Maybe we’re going through a divorce; suffering from poor health; or feel worried about the future.

At times our mind can spin us into a hole so deep it feels like there’s no way out, like we’re “troubled and abandoned…sheep without a shepherd.”

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The Gospel reminds us to turn to Christ; any time we say his name his heart is moved with compassion. 

May all who feel lost turn to the Good Shepherd who promises to defend them.

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Image credits: (1) Sheep Without a Shepherd, Jim Buchan (2) For God’s Glory Alone Ministries (3) Why Was Jesus Called the Good Shepherd, Christianity

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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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A few days ago, I witnessed the Lord bring someone back from the brink of death, much like the little girl Jesus heals in today’s Gospel.

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It began when a distraught parishioner told me that her husband was dying. He was in the ICU, and the doctors told her – if he survives – that he’d have limited brain function and minimal mobility. 

Essentially, no quality of life.

She asked me to administer the Sacrament of Anointing, and to pray for a miracle.

Entering his hospital room in the ICU, I could see how terrible his condition was. So, I pulled out my oils, followed the rite, and traced an oily cross on his forehead and forearms. His hands were covered in gauze. 

The moment my finger slid down his forehead, he opened his eyes and began moving his arms. He was too tired to speak; tubes were lodged into his throat.

But two days later, his wife told me that he turned a major corner; all brain damage disappeared!

“He’ll still need to go to physical therapy, though,” she said.

“We’ll take that!”

The only explanation for his recovery thus far was the anointing. Doctors, of course, leave it as “unexplained.” But what Jesus does in today’s Gospel is also what he did to this man in the ICU.

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So, does God heal today?

Absolutely. I’ve witnessed it firsthand.

Why God heals some of us and not others remains a mystery.

But so is the truth that God heals us at all.

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Are you in need of a miracle? 

If so, never be afraid to ask. God is here to help us, often showing up in disguise, using the hands of a priest. 

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Image credits: (1) Proof That God Still Heals, YouTube (2) Edwin Longsden Long, The Raising of Jairus’ Daughter (3) Sacrament assignment!