REFLECTIONS TODAY
Matthew summarizes here Jesus’ proclamation of the Good News, characterized by his teaching in the synagogues where the Jews would gather to listen to God’s Word, to pray, and to share their common concerns. Jesus would also heal people of their diseases and infirmities. Naturally, people who are hungry for God’s message and seeking relief for their physical, moral, and spiritual afflictions flock to Jesus whose heart reaches out to them.
Jesus then asks his disciples to pray to the Lord God to send workers into his harvest and shepherds to tend the people who are like sheep without shepherds to guide and protect them. More directly, he summons his Twelve disciples and sends them to share his mission of preaching, healing, and exorcising evil spirits. The Twelve are called “Apostles” because they are being sent (Greek apostelō, “to send”).
Today, the Church, the community of God’s People, continues the mission of Jesus and the Apostles.
In the spirit of synodality, “the entire holy people, united to its pastors, remains always faithful to the teaching of the apostles, to the brotherhood, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. So, in maintaining, practicing and professing the faith that has been handed on, there should be a remarkable harmony between the bishops and the faithful” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 84).
By synodality, or walking together on a common path towards the same goal, all members of the Church are called to participate in the Church’s mission.
Gospel • Matthew 9:35—10:1
Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”
Then he summoned his Twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness. Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus, “Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation:
‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”
Source: “366 Days with the Lord 2024,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.