Daily Retreat 02/01/07
2007 Feb 1 Thu
Heb 12: 18-19. 21-24/ Ps 47(48): 2-3ab. 3cd-4. 9. 10-11/ Mk 6: 7-13
From today's readings: "You have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.... O God, we ponder Your mercy within Your temple.... Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two...."
Mini-Missions
The word “Apostle” means “one who is sent,” and, as the Gospel passage today shows, before sending forth His apostles in the Great Commissioning after His Resurrection, Jesus also sent His apostles on “mini” missions even during His own public ministry, whereby the apostles both substantially assisted Christ in His foundational earthly mission, and also were prepared by Christ for their own eventual lifetime missionary work after Pentecost.
Some crucial points stand out. First of all, Jesus Himself takes the initiative in summoning the Twelve and sending them out, and that’s still true today, for every authentic vocation of service in Christ’s Church always begins with a call from Christ. Jesus also sent His apostles out “two by two,” and while many parishes have only one resident priest, and foreign missionaries in particular can be quite isolated, each pastor is nonetheless sent in the spirit and expectation of cooperation with fellow workers in the Lord’s vineyard, for none of us are is ever sent as an independent self-styled maverick or “Lone Ranger.”
Those sent by the Lord were given a share in His authority over evil, but they were also cautioned to stick to the essentials in regards to their own needs, for in the past as well as our own day, accumulated material possessions are often unfortunate hindrances to Gospel ministry. The Apostles were also instructed to develop an appropriate residency in their missions, so that people could come to them, in addition to their going out to the people. But places which steadfastly refused them welcome were to be left behind in the dust....
“So they went off and preached repentance....” The Apostles began in earnest their missionary work in the Lord’s name, and so the apostolic labors continue and will continue in His Church until the end of time!
Heb 12: 18-19. 21-24/ Ps 47(48): 2-3ab. 3cd-4. 9. 10-11/ Mk 6: 7-13
From today's readings: "You have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.... O God, we ponder Your mercy within Your temple.... Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two...."
Mini-Missions
The word “Apostle” means “one who is sent,” and, as the Gospel passage today shows, before sending forth His apostles in the Great Commissioning after His Resurrection, Jesus also sent His apostles on “mini” missions even during His own public ministry, whereby the apostles both substantially assisted Christ in His foundational earthly mission, and also were prepared by Christ for their own eventual lifetime missionary work after Pentecost.
Some crucial points stand out. First of all, Jesus Himself takes the initiative in summoning the Twelve and sending them out, and that’s still true today, for every authentic vocation of service in Christ’s Church always begins with a call from Christ. Jesus also sent His apostles out “two by two,” and while many parishes have only one resident priest, and foreign missionaries in particular can be quite isolated, each pastor is nonetheless sent in the spirit and expectation of cooperation with fellow workers in the Lord’s vineyard, for none of us are is ever sent as an independent self-styled maverick or “Lone Ranger.”
Those sent by the Lord were given a share in His authority over evil, but they were also cautioned to stick to the essentials in regards to their own needs, for in the past as well as our own day, accumulated material possessions are often unfortunate hindrances to Gospel ministry. The Apostles were also instructed to develop an appropriate residency in their missions, so that people could come to them, in addition to their going out to the people. But places which steadfastly refused them welcome were to be left behind in the dust....
“So they went off and preached repentance....” The Apostles began in earnest their missionary work in the Lord’s name, and so the apostolic labors continue and will continue in His Church until the end of time!
posted by FrPitstick | 1/28/2007
<< Home