July 11, 2021
Amos 7, 12-15; Psalm 85; Eph. 1, 3-14; Mk. 6, 7-13
By +Guy Sansaricq
So far we have seen Jesus drawing his apostles to Him but today we see him sending them out. It’s just like the movements of the heart that first sucks the blood in from the lungs and then sends it out to the rest of the body. That is also the normal rhythm of the Apostolate:
a) through prayer increasing one’s intimacy with the Lord and then
b) through ministry: bringing Christ to the world.
Ministry is not an easy task. Many will reject the Prophet either because they do not understand his message or because they angrily reject the call to change and repent.
The Prophet will respect their freedom and move on to a more welcoming site. Jesus sets conditions for the success of the Mission: a) the Prophet should not be alone, he must have a companion. They will go two by two. b) They will be completely poor, relying only on God’s Providence: no money, no food, no second tunic, only a walking cane!
So, they went, joyfully announcing Jesus as the Messiah, expelling demons and curing many anointing them with oil. From this let us learn that the MISSION is not an easy task but a mighty struggle against evil. Poverty, love and faith are the weapons that defeat Satan, the enemy behind all our troubles. Let’s learn this lesson!