Hosea 10:1-3.7-8. 12,
Responsorial Psalm 105:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
Matthew 10:1-7 Full Readings
Proclaiming the Kingdom
In yesterday's reflection, we saw Jesus telling his disciples that the harvest is rich but the labourers are few and so the Lord of the harvest should send more labourers for harvest. Today's Gospel presents the names of twelve disciples of Jesus who are being commissioned to go into the harvest and proclaim that the Kingdom of God is at hand and this proclamation will be aided by casting out demons and unclean spirits as well as curing every illness and sickness.
This passage is the Mission Discourse which marks the second of Matthew’s five great collections of the sayings of Jesus. It focuses on the exterior mission of disciples of Jesus, and the fourth collection (chapter 18) will focus on the interior life of the community. It is restricted only to the House of Israel where Jesus' mission was also situated. After resurrection, the gospel had to go to all the world and so he gave His disciples the final mission, to make disciples of all the nations (28.19). The last and great commissioning involves all of us and the power was given to us to proclaim the kingdom of God and with all the power over unclean spirits and all kinds of sickness.
The Apostles went out with that power and indeed performed miracles and cured the sick as we see them reporting back to Jesus what they had done as we see in Luke 9:10. The mission of the Apostles and the early church was characterised by miracles of which we don't often see these days. One may ask why are miracles not many today as they used to be during the time of Jesus and Apostles.
The reason is very clear, during those days, the Gospel had to be preached and entered into the lives of the people so that they become converts and believe and so miracles were necessary to convert people and show the presence of God among His people. Today, the means of evangelisation are more of a personal witness than of miracles. All people have now known the Gospel and those who accept Jesus should show the presence of God and what God has done for them through living an authentic Godly life and that's why we see the martyrs giving their lives to show the presence and power of God in them. These are also miracles which really convert even more people to God rather than presentation miracles. Is your life a miracle so that when other people see you they may believe in God?
Life witness is one of the best ways to proclaim the kingdom of God. Infact Pope Francis says that the best translation of the Gospel is your life. What is the kingdom of God that we are to proclaim? It is that society of men and women who know God's love and mercy, and who willingly obey and honor God as their Lord and King. It is characterised by justice, righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:27) and these cannot be mere concepts to speak by mouth but virtues that we must live and show with our lives. This makes life witness a very fundamental way to proclaim the Gospel today even more than miracles.
God will surely reward us abundantly when we practice this life witness as a way of proclaiming the Gospel. This is also what we can learn from the first reading. We see that Israel became rich and it's production was plenty which made them luxurious and forgot God. Their lives became full of worldly pleasures and God is warming them to destroy them. Oftentimes we pray and speak about God because we are in need and when we become well we forget God as well as forgetting to use our lives as living witnesses. Brethren, as the psalm tells us, let us constantly seek the face of God at all times whether in problem or happy, rich or poor and our lives will become living witnesses.
Our invitation today is to use the power given to us when we were commissioned especially at the time of confirmation. Let us use our lives to proclaim the gospel other than looking for miracles which is a threat to our faith today. St Francis of Assisi tells us to preach the Gospel and only use words when necessary. The names of the Apostles presented to us in the Gospel are fundamental because they are our fathers in faith and in evangelisation. Do you know their names by heart? Oftentimes we can mention the names of all players of a certain team like Liverpool but it's a pity we can't mention names of twelve Apostles. It is a challenge for you and me today.
Reflect today on how deeply committed you are in proclaiming the Gospel. How do you live your life and is your life a miracle so that anybody who sees you is converted to Christ? Pray for the Graces you need to carry out the mission of Christ
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus, I thank you for calling me here to this time of prayer. I ask you to inflame my heart once again with burning faith, hope, and charity. Grant me the grace of gratitude for those who first preached the Gospel to me, and give me the strength to proclaim the Gospel to others. Amen
Be blessed
May God always helpme to proclaim the gospel by my life
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