(Christ sends his Apostles - James Tissot)
"They went off and preached repentance"
Our Gospel this Sunday brought up a travel adventure my parents
once shared. Several years
before my Father took ill, he and my Mother had the chance, for the first time
in their life, to travel to Eastern Europe and visit Lithuania, the country
where their parents had come from. They
were very much looking forward to meeting relatives they had only heard about
and so they did and had a great time. They
were met with great welcome and joined with our family over there as if they
had always knew them. Despite the small farm towns, not unlike Anatevka from Fiddler on the Roof, and the dirt floors in some locations, they enjoyed the whole experience.
When they returned home they remarked how generous the
relatives were when they were leaving.
The folks were struggling financially, the Soviet Union had not long
before collapsed and the former Communist government had done a real hatchet
job on the country.
Nonetheless, when they were leaving one of the country towns
where the relatives had gathered, everyone wanted to give them something to
take back to America as a sign of their gratitude. My parents both wondered how they would ever
get everything back on the plane but they graciously brought back what they
could, mostly heavy books and some personal items.
However, one of the most interesting was a very large set of
deer antlers one of the folks wanted my Dad to take back! How would they ever get these on the plane
and even if they could put them in stored luggage what would they do with them
on their return? So, they laughed,
explained the situation and graciously turned down the generous offer.
We hear about travel this Sunday when Jesus tells his apostles
as he sends them out, two by two, to take nothing with them: no heavy books or deer antlers along the way;
in fact, only the clothes on their backs, a walking stick and no money.
So our mission Gospel this Sunday seems an important insight
into discipleship. It's one indication
that Jesus, who gives without cost, expects the same from those he sends in his
name to preach, heal, and gather into the new journey of life he invites in to.
Yet, the conditions he demands seem extreme: ". . . take nothing for the
journey but a walking stick - no food, no sack, no money in their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals but not a
second tunic . . ." The Scout motto of -"Be prepared" could
simply not apply in this case. You don’t’ need all the stuff we worry about
when bringing the lesson of the good news.
It just weighs you down and distracts you. So, drop the deer antlers!
Yet, isn't that somewhat the point here? Jesus is not calling these Twelve to an easy
holiday and this is not a trip to the local Galilee Spa Resort. This is a
radical call to Christian discipleship.
Along the way they are to move out two by two, wise for safety reasons,
to exorcise, proclaim the Good News of the Gospel, anoint the sick with oil,
the basis of our sacrament of Anointing the Sick, and rely on the charity and
hospitality of others.This call to go out follows from last weeks Gospel where
Jesus was rejected by his own family and townsfolk. He couldn't work any miracles in Nazareth and
these Apostles witnessed that. So
sending them out to do the very work he was rejected for must have seemed a
lesson in frustration. But, its clear they went nonetheless.
In addition, they should not worry about results or who might
have had more "success" than others. It's not about competition or
who got there first it's about faithfulness to the message of the Gospel. Some will welcome it and others will reject
it. Don't waste time - move on. The
message needs to be heard despite closed hearts and ears.
The essence of the Gospel of Christ is conversion and at times
a radical indifference to the material world. We can have things, and we all
do, but can you live without them? What would your life be like if you lost
what you had? Is that all I live for?
It's a good fundamental question for us all.
It's not the kind of advice that would support a healthy economy, in a
way. In order to make things happen, we
must spend money, circulate it, buy things, create jobs,compete for the best
and achieve success. This kind of
template cannot be laid on the Christian message of discipleship. What about
the clothes hanging in your closest?
When's the last time you wore them?
Do you really need them or might you be able to donate them to some
cause so that others might benefit?
So, what are we to do?
Should we all live like Francis of Assisi or Mother Teresa of Calcutta
or like Trappist Monks? Each of us in
our own way according to our means and our vocations are called to radical
discipleship.
The message of the Gospel is priceless, it cannot be bought but
only shared and given away. If we find
ourselves filled with the desire for success and wealth rather than some level
of genuine service and sacrifice, and a desire to grow in Christ, it might be
good to pause and reassess our values and priorities. For those who have much,
much will be expected. If I really enjoy
and pursue to be noticed for my great charity towards others I might want to
ask myself what am I really supporting - my own ego or the cause I choose to
point to?
Wealthy, poor, middle class or wherever we fall on the spectrum
of social order we all are invited to the same table and to follow the same
Lord. It's not ultimately about how much I have or the size of my bank account
but more about how open am I to this opportunity from our Lord. Only with this
kind of radical conversion in my personal life can I go out on my Christian
mission to be believable. It's always better to preach with actions.
Paul in the second reading from Ephesians this Sunday has a
wonderful line that may be good to reflect upon: "In him we have redemption by his blood,
the forgiveness of transgressions, in accord with the riches of his grace that
he lavished upon us . . ." The
lavishness of rich grace tells us that God will never be outdone by any one of
us.
So as the Christian journey continues in our lives the daily
walk of following the Lord expects us to focus on him, the mission at hand and
share from the abundance of God's mercy.
The rest are details really so don't worry. It's wise to be prepared not foolish as we
set out. But, to fret, worry, obsess and compulsively plan for everything, for
every possibility is to distract ourselves from the call to trust and faith. As
our Eucharist assembly ends, we hear: "Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by
your life."
If we follow the call of the Master in our lives, however we
become aware of it, then we can believe that God will walk with us if we only
trust.
Traveler's Prayer
Bless me, Lord, as I begin this adventure.
Open my eyes to see you in the people I will meet.
Open my ears to hear your word in new and surprising ways.
Open my hands to be your blessing
in whatever situation I find myself.
And open my hearts to receive you wherever I may go.
Protect me from harm as I travel
and give your wisdom to those I rely on for my safety.
why my travel is ended and my journey complete,
bring me home again, renewed by your love.
Amen
(Diana Macalintal, The Work or Your Hands)
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