Wednesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s Reflection
Gospel: Mt 10: 1-7
July 12, 2023 | Wednesday
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 Iscariot, 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.
Today’s Reflection:
Jesus’ choice and mission of the Twelve is an “expression of the divine compassion for the needy people of God”. These twelve leading “apprentices” are now to have an active share in Jesus’ preaching and healing mission. It is at first sight rather curious that we are not told the names of the twelve disciples before being informed as to the powers conferred upon them. We learn that they are to have “authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and sickness.” Only then, comes the revelation of the names as well as an accompanying mission.
A “disciple” is a learner, pupil, or student of the master while an“apostle” is one who is sent or commissioned. It is a reality that not all disciples are apostles while all apostles are disciples. Let us reflect on which kind of follower we are in Jesus’ mission for us.. /Vulnerasti, 2023
