Today’s Reflection
Gospel: Mt 9: 36 – 10: 8
June 18, 2023 | Sunday

Today’s Gospel

When he saw the crowds, he was moved with pity; for they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are only few. Ask the master of the harvest to send workers to gather his harvest.”

Jesus called his Twelve disciples to him, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out, and to heal every disease and sickness.

These are the names of the Twelve apostles: first Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew, the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon, the Canaanite, and Judas Is cariot, the man who would betray him.

Jesus sent these Twelve on mission, with the instructions: “Do not visit pagan territory and do not enter a Samaritan town. Go, instead, to the lost sheep of the people of Israel.

Go, and proclaim this message: The kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, bring the dead back to life, cleanse the lepers, and drive out demons. Freely have you received, freely give.

The way Jesus looked at the people in the Gospel today has always been the manner in which God had always looked at each one of us. He knows our weaknesses and our great need for Him. While His love for us is deep and unfathomable, He never stopped there. He also chose men and women to lead in the ministry of making His presence and love be felt by other people. While all of us need to feel these for ourselves, those who are stronger in faith are invited by Jesus to radiate His love and compassion to other people. Perhaps, we are the very instruments that could make others feel that despite the hardships in life, there is a God, a Shepherd, wholooks after them. /Vulnerasti, 2023