GOSPEL, Matthew (10: 1-7)
Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew
The Twelve Apostles
10 Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.
The Mission of the Twelve
5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’
The Gospel of the Lord
REFLECTION
For the first time, the list of those called the “Twelve Apostles” appears. The Twelve are “sent off”; this is what the name “apostle” means, and they carry in them the very mission of Jesus, who is also Sent by the Father.
By entrusting them with the mission, Christ “gave them authority to cast out unclean spirits and to cure all sickness and disease.” Therefore, the miraculous signs would convey the truth of His word.
After mentioning the twelve, he makes the following recommendations to them: “Do not take the way of the heathen or enter the cities of Samaria, but go to the stray sheep of Israel. Go and proclaim that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand”.
Their initial mission was for the Jewish people only. It seemed normal that in the beginning the Jews, heirs to God’s election and promise, would be the first to receive the Messianic offer of salvation made in Christ.
Later lead by St. Paul, they opened up to the Greco-Roman world, responding to the universal mission that the Risen Christ entrusted to them: Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to all people.
The essence of Jesus’ message: “Proclaim that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand”. The essential message that the Church must transmit today is the good news summarized in this message: God loves us; he invites us to unity by following Christ.
Jesus calls us, like the twelve, each one by his name. Let us be aware that God calls us individually and let us believe that He needs us and sends us first to those closest to us, our family members, our co-workers and our fellow citizens.
PRAYER
We bless you, God of apostles and prophets, for your son Jesus Christ, who announced the Kingdom and founded his Church on the pillars of the apostles. Make your Church, Lord, a place of love and hope for a world that walks in darkness looking for your light. Amen.