The Mission
Jesus gives his Apostles the rules
of the road for the mission he entrusted to them. These rules apply not only to the Apostles,
but to all who journey with Jesus. While
they were intended primarily for the missionary work of the Apostles and
disciples, they also apply to every Christian journey and every Christian
life. The first instruction is that the
Apostles set forth without food, travelling bag, or a change of clothes… These things might distract from the mission
of the disciples. They might be tempted
to trust in their own resources and devices instead of the providence of
God. They are to be equipped with only
the basic essentials to enable their progress as disciples and missionaries – a
walking stick and sandals. Facing a dangerous
world with no personal resources except the Holy Spirit, they would never think
that it was their enterprise, instead of God’s.
Facing the world of opposition and disbelief with very little personal
skills, they would know that their successes came because of the power of God,
working through them. They knew that
they were instruments of God. We, like
the Apostles, are called and sent through Baptism and Confirmation to be
witnesses to Christ. When we experience
the power of Christ working through our ministry, we can have great peace and
trust that we are doing God’s will. That
experience may be our “walking stick” to inspire us to keep on in our ministry
of helping others. We experience the
“blessings” of witnessing to Christ and the “blessings” of our efforts to give
witness to the power of Christ working through us.
Jesus sent them out two by
two. Jesus realized that they needed
each other; they need confidants in their ministry. In that way they supported each other in
times of difficulties, apparent failure and persecution. In this way they had someone to share the joy
of their successes and the disappointments of their failures. Sending them out two by two gave a stronger
witness. They could pray together, and
remember the words of Jesus: “Where two
or three are gathered in my name, there am I in their midst.” (Matthew
18:20)
The presence of two reminded them
of the need for the support of the community of believers. We, too, need the faith and prayers of the
Church community. They also need
us! When we gather to worship we bring
our gifts – “all that we have and all that we are”, to enrich the worshipping
community. For this context we are made
aware of the power and importance of the Small Christian Communities – as a
place of support, prayer, sharing and caring.
Finally, Jesus tells them to shake the dust from their feet – when they
are rejected by a town or village. He
was rejected by his own town, and moved on to other towns.
Jesus is saying to the disciples
and to us – “Don’t be paralyzed by failure and rejection. Move on to other places, to other
people. Sometimes that may mean taking
on some other ministry, rather than holding on to what you are trying to
do. Your gift may be elsewhere!”
We are on a journey as pilgrims
and missionaries! We know that we have a
mission. That mission is to give witness
to the one who has sent us – to be salt and light – instruments of change in
one world. When we share our faith, and
invite others to join us – in the great enterprise of bringing the love and
peace of Christ to a world in darkness – then we, too, are truly disciples – of
the one who sends us.
“Go into the whole world and
proclaim the Good News.” (Mark 16:15)
