"So they went off and preached repentance . . ."
Amos 7: 12 - 15
Eph
1: 3-14Mk 6: 7-13
You
hear the ring of your doorbell. You peer through the drapes or the small
peephole. There stand two identically
dressed young men in crisp white shirts, dark trousers, clean shaven with short
cropped hair. Perhaps they have parked
their bicycles at the end of your driveway or were seen walking the
neighborhood door to door. Strapped on their backs are dark packs. In their
hands appear to be either a Bible or some other book with a religious
purpose. They stand, patiently waiting
for you to open the door.
“Hello,
this is Brother . . . and I’m Elder . . . We’re from the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints. Can we have a
minute of your time?” And you say . .
.?
The
above scenario is a familiar one to many folks. Some may invite the polite
young men in for a discussion. Others
may at least offer them an ice tea or glass of water. Others might hide when
the doorbell rings and never open the door hoping they simply leave. Some may open
the door but then close it abruptly with barely a word spoken between you and
the two well-meaning Mormon missionaries.
“I’m a Catholic! Leave me alone!” Yikes! Don’t say that. Most would likely be
polite but express satisfaction with their own faith and the invited
conversation might just end there.
We
Catholics generally take a different approach.
Go out two by two, house to house?
Hmm, that’s not our thing. Yet,
why couldn’t it be? The spirit of the missionary vocation is surely a rich part
of our history. We see such zeal in
various religious orders: Maryknoll, Jesuit, Franciscan, Dominican, Vincentian
among others.
We
evangelize through our institutions of education and health care; through our
parish RCIA programs; during our weddings, funerals, and baptisms at which many
non-Catholics may attend; through our liturgies and hopefully the hospitality
of our parish communities; through our Catholic periodicals and our Bishops, priests
and deacons stand in the midst of their people with what may be at times a
prophetic voice in the spirit of Amos 7 as we hear in the first reading: “Go,
prophesy to my people . . .”
This
Sunday Jesus sends his disciples out “two by two” to visit the various towns
and villages around them. In a sense, we see the disciples becoming Apostles
for the name itself means, “one who is sent.” They carry instructions from Jesus
to take nothing with them and to rely totally on the hospitality of strangers
and their own convicted faith. The mission of the Gospel is too important to weigh
down with any sort of limitation on its message.
In
Matthew’s version of this same event (Mt 10: 16-23) we hear Jesus not only
giving travel instructions but also preparing them in not the most comforting
way, for what they may encounter as they journey: “. . . I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves . . . but
beware they will hand you over to courts and scourge you . . . but don’t worry
. . .” Don’t worry?? One would rarely travel very far away from his home in
ancient times. Travel was
dangerous. Provisions were scarce. Bandits would hide along the way. Since most
would travel in groups for safety, these men could join those groups, sharing
their provisions and take advantage of the opportunity to bring this message of
good news.
It
is essentially the very extension of the saving mission of Jesus that is now
carried by his Apostles and a foreshadow of their future purpose after his
Resurrection and Ascension. From this small moment in ancient times, the Church
has built an historical legacy of service to others and of seeds of faith that
have been planted and flourished around the globe. We see that mission
continued as well in our sacramental system.
But,
why is this good news so important to share?
In ancient times, the means of communication was obviously primitive by present
day standards. What any of the Apostles
would have given for a cell phone to check in with each other - “Any success in
India, Thomas?” “How are things in Ephesus, John? How’s Mary doing?” What St. Paul would have
given for a website: “Come all Gentiles.com” But the word was simply written or
spoken. Few could read so they relied on the word of messengers. Life for most
was simple but hard with little hope of ever improving. You lived as you were
born and future generations did the same.
But
in our day, we hear multiple voices competing for our allegiance. The word of
the Gospel, both ancient and new, finds itself in a never-ending battle for the
hearts and minds of citizens. What can
we provide that the world doesn’t?
St.
Paul’s beautiful words, a kind of blessing, are a reassurance in our second
reading from Ephesians 1: 3-14 today. We have been chosen by God. How many people feel isolated, confused, torn
both ways, or find themselves in a life that may bring momentary pleasure or
success but still leaves them empty and directionless? How much money does one
need to be happy? How large of a house is large enough? What sort of car will
satisfy me? How much technology will
provide for my need to communicate?
St.
Paul speaks to us: “In love he destined
us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ . . . In him you also who have
heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation and have believed in him,
were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, which is the first installment of
our inheritance toward redemption as God’s possession . . .”
We
should be patient with St. Paul’s sometimes run on sentences that seem to go on
for lines and lines without punctuation but we should read reflectively the
entire passage we hear today. It is
indeed good news and the same message carried from Jesus by the Apostles to us
today. It invites to the deeper truths
of a life lived with purpose that are not weighed down by material wealth. (Thus, the Apostles travel with nothing).
We
are loved by God. We are adopted by him
(Baptism) through Jesus Christ. We’ve
heard the word of truth (Church, Scriptures, Tradition, Liturgy, Prayer, and
Leadership) and believe (Creed). Then we
were “sealed” with the Holy Spirit (Baptism, Confirmation) and that is only the
first part of more to come! We have an
inheritance waiting for us (not material wealth and riches) but as God’s
possession, we are due eternal life with him.
Well,
ready to jump on that bicycle, starch that white shirt and knock on the
neighborhood doors? As Catholics we have
an abundant treasure to share. Someone
brought the good news to you. Who will
inherit your legacy?
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