Equipped for Ministry

Today’s Gospel Text:  And he called to him the twelve, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; 9 but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. 10 And he said to them, "Where you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. 11 And if any place will not receive you and they refuse to hear you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet for a testimony against them." 12 So they went out and preached that men should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them. Mark 6:7-13

Reflection: If you were to be sent on a mission by the state or by a corporate entity then that state or corporate entity will provide for your every need, and if not, then it will definitely equip you with the means required to accomplish that mission.

No mission can be accomplished successfully, unless one is equipped.

In our modern days the church too sends its personnel’s on a mission, equipped in a school of formation, with theology and philosophy, sociology and psychology and some even with a little management principles.

To those who were with him, what did Jesus equip them with?  

This is what the passage of scripture reveals to us about Jesus’ action: “And he called to him the twelve, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.” (vs. 7)

And to make matters, concerning their mission, more clear to them, he sent them out to depend totally on God; in the providence of God.

He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. (vs. 8-9)

Sometimes from the outcome or the reactions we know the original or source; from the fruit we know the tree: 

If Jesus equipped them with authority over the unclean spirits then he is also communicating to us the most important aspect of our mission as Christians, viz. to destroy the works of the devil. (cfr. 1Jn. 3:8)

In other words it also brings to light a great truth: every human being need to be freed from the clutches and influences of the evil one and thanks be to God in Christ Jesus, he makes this possible for us.

No wonder St. Paul reminds us: “We are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Eph 6:12

Prayer:  Lord, equip me as I seek to be your instrument and give me the spirit of boldness and discernment against the forces of evil.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

The Ultimate Wrath

Today’s Gospel Text: And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a marriage feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage feast; but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, Behold, I have made ready my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves are killed, and everything is ready; come to the marriage feast.' 5 But they made light of it and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the thoroughfares, and invite to the marriage feast as many as you find.' 10 And those servants went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good; so the wedding hall was filled with guests. "But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment; 12 and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.' 14 For many are called, but few are chosen." Matt 22:1-14

Reflection: This parable is difficult to comprehend:: How can the invitees not attend a king’s banquet or refuse his invitation. In other words; who would refuse a kings invitation for a banquet?

It is not always the food that counts, but who it is that invites counts too.

Yet if we look at the Christ reality, the world still keeps refusing the Kings invitation for the banquet of the Son: A banquet that satisfies, a banquet that will refresh the soul and strengthen it to enter the king’s eternal presence.

What may have made the people refuse the King? The only reason I can see is the kindness, love and generosity of the king, which made the people refuse the kings invitation.

They must have had abundance under the king’s reign, who must have given without discrimination to these subjects, so as to be self-sufficient and must have been kind to them in all circumstances that they failed to see this goodness of the king.

Hence, when the invitation came along, they seemed to lack the respect for their king.

There could be two reasons why people lose respect for someone: one is if the person behaves like an immature fool or if the person is in all humility, extra gentle and kind, with all patience.

The king seemed to belong to the second category; an embodiment of kindness and generosity, irrespective of a persons behavior.  

Hence, when the actual occasion of importance arrived, as he sent his servants out with a sense of mission, then the invitees could only be foolish to refuse the call.

God, through Christ Jesus reveals the same urgency for people to take his invitation seriously. That generation crucified him and the present generation by refusing his invitation still keeps doing it by refusing the invite to repent and turn to him and to be clothed with his garment of righteousness.

Prayer: “Who considers the power of thy anger, and thy wrath according to the fear of thee? So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” Ps 90:11-12

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us