A Cycle – 11^th Sunday in Ordinary Time 23

Mt.9:36-10:8

The scriptures tell us we ordained to accomplish something for the kingdom of God. That from the moment of our conception we have a task ordained by God to accomplish (Ps.139:16).  Unfortunately, we do not know what that task is or if we are prepared to accomplish it.   What happens if we never discover it or if we are reluctant to take on the task because we do not feel competent?

Take a moment and consider what we as a church have been recounting and reminding us about during these past few months.  The church in its wisdom has had us relive Jesus’s passion, death, and resurrection. Why God sent His Son. Why Jesus died. What His death and resurrection accomplished for us.  Then we were shown how after the resurrection of Jesus the disciples were confusion, fearful and lacking in understanding.  Yet they believed but did not know what to do with that belief.  We had revealed to us how after the ascension they continued to be uncertain, but they did what He told them to do.  Sta in the city until they were clothed with power from on high.  

Today the gospel takes us back in time to a time when they were in their beginning journey of discipleship.  They were being formed, excited by the works and words of Jesus.   Jesus began His ministry by “teaching in the synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people” (Mt. 4:23).   The disciples learned quickly how their view of sin was defined by the law and Jesus challenged them to discover the root of sin resides in intentions of the heart. 

This challenged the disciples because they began to understand they needed to go beyond the law to the root of their sin. If you take the time to read those early chapters of Matthew’s gospel you will discover how from the moment, they began to follow Jesus (Mt. 4:22) their belief structure was being challenged.  Everything they learned about God was challenged, sin, obedience, law, judgment, and condemnation.   

Jesus was preparing them for something they did not yet understand.  But they would begin to understand it would demand faith and trust in God’s promises.

Teaching after teaching challenged the foundations of all they believe in and what they thought was required of them by God.  Dependence on rituals and the law was preventing them from discovering what God requires of all who profess a belief in Him. 

As they begin to digest His teachings, Jesus continued to challenge them telling them there is a cost, a sacrifice of surrender required of anyone who would follow Him.  All the while, during every challenge, Jesus reveals to them and to us the path to discipleship is not by doing but by trusting in the promises of God.

We are easily distracted by external forces and, like the disciples during the storm, we become fearful and do not believe God cares.  Are we people of little faith, depending on mustard sized faith to get us through?  We are called to go deeper, to allow the “power from on high” to transform us into bold witnesses and disciples. 

The disciple’s journey of faith is something from which we can learn.  That is why today’s gospel is critical for us to understand.  They were being challenged but were comfortable watching and listening to Jesus.  When unexpected he gives them a task.  Jesus did not hold back because they were novices.  Instead, He gave them the monumental task to heal the sick, raise the dead, drive out demons and proclaim the kingdom of God. 

Nothing they had learned about God and their relationship with God prepared them for what they were told to do by Jesus.  Jesus sends them out to the lost sheep of Israel.  Jesus did not just send them out to give testimony to what they saw but to do what He did.  Heal he sick, raise the dead, drive out demons and proclaim the kingdom of God. 

Pentecost had not happened yet.  They had never witnessed miracles like these until Jesus’s came into their lives.  They had never stood in a synagogue and proclaimed the kingdom of God.  There is a lesson in this for us and it is direct and eye opening. We do not have to have it all together to do the work of discipleship.  We do not need to look far to recognize the lost sheep who need to hear about what can be.  We know those lost sheep because they are among our family, friends, and coworkers. 

The disciples were not prepared for this ministry.  Many of us would believe because they followed Jesus, they were somehow ready to do what He did.  Did you notice they never question Jesus or complain how ill equipped they were.  They go out and come back rejoicing because they somehow knew He anointed them and gave them the authority.  They trusted, believed, and accomplished miracles beyond their imagination.   

Well, what about us?  Jesus told us, “…we would do the things He did and far greater because He was going to the Father” (Jn. 14:12).    We are not unlike the disciples because those words of Jesus spoken in the upper room were meant for today. 

Miracles are happening today because ordinary men and women continue to believe in the mission of Jesus.  That we too have been anointed and given the task to intercede and invite the Spirit to heal and cleanse.  The real question for us is why they faltered in their faith after the death of Jesus.  Perhaps it is easy to believe when Jesus while Jesus is visible and harder when we must rely on listening to the Spirit speak to our hearts.  Jesus continued to challenge them after this moment of great victory for them by their tapping into the power of God.  Jesus from this moment on continued to challenge them and prepare them for His death. 

If this gospel does anything for us it should at a minimum challenge us to wonder what if.   What if I am willing to step out of the boat and walk on water?  What if I am willing to cast my net into the deep even though I have done it many times and came up empty?  What if I allow those words of Jesus to penetrate my heart and accept sinfulness still lurks within me because I have only dealt with my failure to resist temptation?  

What would happen if I stepped out and allowed the Father to embrace me, enfold me in His arms and allow Him to forgive and forget my sin?  Am I ready to go out and use the gifts God has given me to proclaim the good news of salvation and tell others God is in our land.   When are we going to recognize we are called to go to the lost sheep and proclaim the good news of salvation.