Jesus is very caring and loving in nature. But is it fully right? ‘The Mission is very hard and the call to it is rigid.’ This is the impression that we get from today’s Gospel Passage. And Jesus is very strict in this mission.
Our first reaction towards the Apostles will be, “Poor Fellows”…then they were simply sent for their mission. There is nothing to assist them, except their walking stick. Is that all? No, there are two more great gifts from Jesus: First of all the companionship, then they were sent not alone but two by two.
More over Jesus gave them authority over unclean spirits.
Jesus knew these are enough for them in their mission: the Communion among them and one another and the Blessing of God can work wonders.
This rigidity in the mission has some more meanings:
1. The apostles were strictly prohibited to take some thing for their life. He is teaching them some great lesson through this action: to trust in the people, to whom they are sent. To trust them positively, that their preaching will be accepted first. And their labour will be paid according to their necessity in terms of Food, shelter, money, clothing and more…
2. The second lesson they are to learn in this mission is the Rejection and refusal. This is some thing future oriented. They must learn that the Gospel is not always and everywhere well accepted and welcomed. It is a reality. Even Jesus himself experienced this rejection in his home town (remind Last Week’s Gospel) and from his own people. Cross and death is the culmination of this rejection. But nothing reduced his spirit in the preaching.
Jesus is training them, through experience. They will learn that, all preaching may not bring repentance and followers. But they can expect the rejection at any time and anywhere.
3. They are having a fruitful preaching, even without the so called “necessary materials of life”, such as food, shelter, money and clothing. The commonsense of the apostles will tell them, there is something great that they have. It is the Blessing of God. It is the authority and power given by Jesus. It is greater than anything. They will surely give glory to God and will trust in the Divine Power than any human power.
Yes, Jesus is teaching them through their own experience. He is providing them chance to realize what is necessary and what is not.
We have so many examples before us, who lived this Gospel and proved it true.
The great St Francis of Assisi, who accepted his mission of “Rebuilding the Church”, had a life of poverty and simplicity.
Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, the promoter of Love and Peace started her great mission in India with no great capital.
Our then - Bishop Late Dr Joseph Kureethara used to tell us seminarians, that he started many of his ventures as adventures and he had only one capital – it was the Divine Providence.
Yes, we can meet so many faithful in our daily life, who trust in the Divine Providence.
Jesus is asserting this same faith in his followers.
He tells us preaching, being God’s Witness is not some easy. It is some thing risky. It wants from us the trust in Men, trust in oneself, and great trust in the providence of God.
Let us try to be the Witness of God by trusting and loving each other, by being open to the rejections and risks in our life, and more over trusting and dedicating everything in the Divine Providence.
May the caring and loving God Bless us all in this Mission. Amen!
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Fr Thomas Kalathil
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