Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint 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.'”
He chose them and sent them out
1) He summoned. Jesus shows the importance of building a community. Before giving them authority, he gathers them together. If you take on authority individually, you may become presumptuous and not remember that God has given you the gifts you have in order to help others, not for your own benefit. Today you have the power to make the life of others more beautiful, but you must strengthen your own life, because you cannot give what you don’t have. Become aware of your potential. During this time of prayer, start thinking about what you can give others. I am not saying that you will stop a war, but maybe you can put an end to an uncomfortable situation at home or at work.
2) Names: You are not just a number to God. You have a first and last name, because you have a story behind you that has contributed to make you who you are today. Accept your reality and your history. Accept your life, because God has chosen you to live your life in a beautiful way, with your own personal history. You may say to me “Father, my life story is not beautiful at all.” I know… neither is mine, but whether or not your personal history becomes beautiful depends on you, because your life’s story hasn’t ended yet. Remember that God chose you with the life story that you have.
3) Go. Today we have the task of reaching out to people who do not know God, and who have a hard life; a life filled with disappointments and tensions. This means going out to people who think that God seems to have turned His back on them and they feel bitterness in their hearts. We have to go out to those people who do not feel life is worth living. We must announce the Gospel, the Good News, by keeping them company and sharing time with them. Try to share with someone who is struggling through life. Never forget that something good is on the way!
God bless you and be with you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
