Reading
Matthew 10:1-7
10 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called 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 Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’
Comment
The mandate of Jesus to cast out demons, heal from every disease and announce that the Kingdom of God is near is conferred not on an individual but on each member of a college of apostles. It is conferred through a specific call. No one can be considered sent by Jesus on a mission without having had a personal encounter with him, without having been called by name.
In ancient times and in biblical thought, since the story of Genesis, in which Adam is called to give a name to every creature, taking care of it, "possessing" the name of a thing or a person meant coming into contact with the essence of that reality. Thus Jesus calls us knowing the depths of our heart, including its weaknesses, its wounds, its limitations.
For this reason among his disciples we do not find learned and powerful men but fishermen and sinners. He sends them "after having instructed them" (v. 5). It is from listening to his Word that he starts the mission. Whoever does not meet Jesus in prayer, whoever does not listen to his word in the Scriptures, cannot be considered his disciple.
In this first phase of the mission, the Lord invites his disciples to go two by two - the text of the Gospel presents us six pairs of names - to announce his word to the children of Israel: "Go to the lost sheep of Israel" (v. 6); but as hostility to his mission grows and even more after his resurrection, the Gospel message will be extended to the whole world and "to every creature" (Mt 16:15).
We are called to bear witness to Christ starting with those close to us, in our daily environment, where God has called us.
Prayer
Let us remember, O God, your mercy in the midst of your temple. As your name, O God, so your praise extends to the ends of the earth.
- Rev. Dr. Luca Vona
