True love can only be given if true love is received

Good morning, happy Wednesday, and many blessings.

Today’s Gospel (Luke 9:1-6) describes the mission which the twelve received from Jesus. Later, Luke speaks about the mission of the seventy-two disciples (Luke 10:1-12). The two Gospels complete one another and reveal the mission of the Church.

Jesus called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all devils and to cure diseases. And He sent them out to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal. In calling the Twelve, Jesus intensifies the announcement of the Good News. The objective of the mission is simple and clear: they received the power and authority to cast out devils, to cure the sick and to announce the Kingdom of God. Just as people were admired, astonished seeing Jesus’ authority over the unclean spirits, and seeing His way of announcing the Good News (Luke 4:32.36), the same thing should happen with the preaching of the twelve apostles.

Today Jesus is instructing us also. He invites us to go forth and proclaim the good news today. How will we respond to this invitation? If we say yes, how will we proclaim the good news? Will we use words or just our actions? Remember: the good news is often hidden in the small things of life! Today may we be open to hear, see, respond, and spread Jesus’s good news!

The Twelve had to learn the hard way. They had to literally abandon all for the One who is all. Is it any different for us? I don’t think so. I think Jesus wants us to love Him and our neighbor unconditionally. To do so still requires a radical approach, like St. Francis who stripped himself in public and was followed and loved by a multitude. Detachment from worldly goods can only be achieved if there is attachment on what is above! True love can only be given if true Love is received. Who I am is directly related to Who He is to me. The Twelve began to walk, to preach, to cure, to live life because they kneeled, listened, and experienced a life that was lived to the full in Christ Jesus.

Then there is the lesson in the experience of ministry. The minister should not be ashamed or reluctant to depend on the support of Christians in ministry, and is not expected to have success with everyone and in every place where ministry is engaged in. Jesus tells his disciples to accept the hospitality of people in the villages they go to. He also tells them, by implication, that they will not be accepted by everyone or in every place. This is indicated in the words of Jesus telling his disciples that if their ministry is no accepted, they must not carry on there, or be discouraged, but must go on, shaking off the dust off their feet as a testimony against those who reject the gospel; and that they were given the gospel and it is their own fault if they rejected it.

Blessings

Fr. Luis+