Revealing the face of God, proclaiming the Kingdom

Gospel Reflection

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.’”

- Matthew 10:1-7

In today’s Gospel we can see three aspects of our lives as followers of Christ.

First is the calling. Everyone of us are called by Christ to follow Him, to be his disciples.

Our Rule, the Rule of St. Albert, could not be more insistent on this. Chapter 2 of our Rule says: Many and varied are the ways in which our saintly forefathers laid down how everyone, whatever his station or the kind of religious observance he has chosen, should live a life in allegiance to Jesus Christ – how, pure in heart and stout in conscience, he must be unswerving in the service of the Master.

To live a life in allegiance to Christ. To follow the footsteps of Christ.

We are called to follow his footsteps, but just how do we do this? The great Nazarean’s ways are simple. His way of life, his decisions are based on love. He simplified the commandments of God given to his people: Love God, love our neighbors.

If we love God then we should love our neighbors, ourbrothers, whom he created. We should take care of His treasures, His creation.

How do we love our neighbors? How do we love our brothers? By putting them first, by always thinking of ways to serve our brothers, to show them, to make them feel that they are loved.

The Little Way of our sweet dear Little Flower Therese. Simple, small ways. Making sure we don’t leave anything that we have used for our brothers to wash or to clean. To make sure that our brothersare comfortable, have eaten and is not and will not be hungry; by journeying with our brothers on their way to the heights of Carmel, lightening their burden even if it means making yours a little heavier. Simple things. If we can do little things, then we can be carers of much greater things.

Second, today’s Gospel Jesus named those whom He called. Each of us are called by our names because He knows us personally, and such we should strive to know Him personally, as well. We should be able to know Him.

Actually, the naming brings comfort, reassurance. Because Christ knows us personally, He also knows our needs, He knows the troy les that we had to go through, he knows the extent of the dark tunnel that we have to pass.

What will be our response?

Last, Christ sends His apostles to mission, and we are also being sent to mission. Its not about going to other countries, to other places, to go on immersion, to be assigned to whatever ministry of the Order, but our mission first and foremost is to be witnesses of the Good News. How has the Good News made you into a better brother, a better son, a better person, a better Filipino, a better Christian?

And so He said: “Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town.Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

That lost sheep is us, those lost sheep are those people whom we encounter everyday. People who, one way or the other, are in so much sorrow and needs an experience of God’s goodness. A smile, a simple conversation, a tap on the shoulder, a hug, a nice word, an affirmation, a smile.

We are missionaries, and we don’t need to be in other countries. And in our mission, we are to proclaim that God’s kingdom is at hand, no, in fact, with our actions, with our relationships, let God’s kingdom manifest.

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