Daily Catholic Reflection: July 10, 2020, Friday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time A

Hosea 14:1-9,

Ps 51:3-4.8-9.12-13.14,

Matthew 10: 16-23 Full Readings

Saint Veronica Giuliani

 The Role of the Holy Spirit in Mission

We continue to reflect on the Mission Discourse where Jesus commissions and instructs His disciples for mission. Today we see Jesus instructing His disciples to prepare for persecution and rejection as they go for Mission. Jesus therefore tells them to be wise and cunning like the serpent but harmless like the dove, and not to worry for the Spirit of the Lord will guide and give them what to say in such times.

 

When Jesus says that the Spirit of the Lord will be speaking through you and will guide you throughout and thus no need to be afraid, He emphasizes the role of the Holy Spirit in our mission but more so that the mission we are undertaking is not our own mission, it is the mission of God and we are instruments and ambassadors to Him. This calls for  the greatest humility in mission.

This is why Jesus tells His Apostles to be cunning and shrewd like the serpent but very simple and harmless like doves.  In today's world taken up by secularism, we need knowledge and wisdom in order to evangelise it but these should not be used to exploit people, we should be very humble as doves knowing that it is not our mission we are carrying out but the mission of God who has appointed us to do that mission. This is possible when we allow the Holy Spirit guide and lead us in whatever we are doing and being committed to what we have been entrusted to.

The Holy Spirit will always reveal to us who God is, His love, His mercy and what He needs us to do and then inspire us to do them to everyone. Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit will always speak through us. However this doesn't mean we don't prepare ourselves through study and prayer so as to discern the Spirit of God within us. In today's world where everyone is learned and can access information on the fingertips, it's useless when we don't have effective preparation by the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Otherwise we shall be rejected as mission agents. 

The Spirit will also guide us and give us courage as we undergo persecution. Jesus knows that there is persecution in the mission as He says I am sending you as sheep in wolves. If we don't have the power of the Holy Spirit within us, the wolves will indeed devour us (however, we also need to be aware not to become wolves ourselves). In today's world where we see many persecutions of Christians, it's right and fitting to ponder on the words of Jesus today. We cannot expect the bed of roses in this mission, Christianity is not just eating and drinking and then life goes on, it is being led by the Spirit to face the daily challenges and change the society even if it is giving our lives.

However, we shall not be persecuted and suffer for nothing, Jesus' statement today is very clear: “Whoever endures to the end will be saved.” This doesn't mean we are meant to suffer nor should we push ourselves to suffering, Jesus means that  we should endure life's trials relying on His Grace so that He will take us with Him to heaven at last. At the end brethren, we have the reward of eternal life full of happiness and joy. We are therefore invited to keep working for this life and when we have done our part, we shall rejoice that we have finished the race and have kept the faith.

Reflect today on the role of the Holy Spirit in your life and mission. Do you allow yourself to be guided and led by the Holy Spirit? How have you been relying on the Spirit of God to pass through life challenges especially when undertaking the mission of God? Pray that the Lord will keep guiding us and forgive us where we go wrong when carrying out His mission as He forgave and promised to bring prosperity to Israelites after sinning and forgetting Him; seen in the first Reading.

 Let us Pray.

Lord, sometimes I feel that the world is growing hostile to your word. Inflame me with your Holy Spirit so that through me all hearts may be melted and believe in you. Help me always to withstand life difficulties relying on your Grace alone. Amen.

Be blessed