JESUS SHARES HIS MISSION WITH HIS APOSTLES
First Reading: Amos 7: 12-15
Second Reading: Ephesians 1: 3-14
Gospel Reading: Mark 6: 7-13
*First reading is from the book of Prophet Amos. Prophet Amos is a great champion of social justice. The Lord God sends Amos to King Amaziah. The King is very unhappy and angry with Amos. He is warned not to prophesy in Bethel where the King resides. When Amos continues to prophesy as instructed by the Lord God, he is expelled from the kingdom. In spite of various problems, rejection and threats from the King, Amos is not discouraged or frightened. He tells Amaziah that the Lord God has commanded him to go to the people of Israel and prophesy. Although Prophet Amos faces many hardships and opposition, he is totally faithful to the task entrusted to him by the Lord God.
*Second reading is from the letter of St. Paul to Ephesians. We have a hymn of thanksgiving to God for the great spiritual gifts received through Jesus Christ. The Christians in Ephesus are brought to faith by the efforts of St. Paul. He encourages them to be always faithful to the teachings he had handed over to them. He instructs them that God's will is the sole source of our Christian vocation and of our holiness. Paul expresses his thankfulness to God for the many spiritual gifts that he received through Lord Jesus.
Jesus calls the twelve and sends them out two by two Today's Gospel reading is from St. Mark. The detailed instructions given by Jesus to His twelve Apostles before their mission journey are narrated. They are told to preach and to do the works that Jesus Himself had done so far. Their three-fold duties are: 1. To announce that the Kingdom of God has come. 2. To heal the sick. 3. To cast our demons. He instructs that they are to take nothing for their mission journey: No money, no extra clothing, not even a staff which is ordinarily carried by travelers to protect themselves from attacks of thieves and wild animals. Disciples of Jesus are to depend entirely on the providence of God during their mission journeys. Further, we observe that Jesus does not hesitate to involve the Apostles actively in His work in spite of the fact that most of them were illiterate fishermen with little or no experience in preaching and healing. Jesus invites everyone of us to continue His mission in the world around us. In spite of our inexperience and lack of expertise, He wants us to do our part, however small that may be. The mission of Jesus is very simple. As St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta once said: "We can do no great things. Only little things with great love. You can do what I cannot do. I can do what you cannot do. Together we can do something beautiful for God." All of us without exception are invited to continue the mission of Jesus and to transmit our faith to others as the Apostles did. Jesus wants us to be part of His work too. Each of us is responsible for a small corner of this world where it is up to us to make the presence of Christ felt. Albert Camus, a philosopher, once said: "When you have seen a glow of happiness on the face of a beloved person, you know that a man can have no other vocation than to awaken that light on the faces surrounding him." May the good Lord bless you all and entrust you with greater responsibilities in continuing His mission. Amen.
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