Discipleship is about personal sacrifice

Reading: I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore, be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Matthew 10: 16.

Good morning, happy Friday, and many blessings my dear family.

In our gospel readings for the past couple of days, Jesus is getting his apostles ready for their first mission without him. He gave them authority over evil spirits and to drive out disease. He also provided marching orders on how they were to proceed from town to town.

In today's reading from Matthew 10:16-23, he shares his realistic assessment of what they will probably experience, not simply on the one mission but from this point on - particularly after his passion, resurrection, and ascension. "Jesus said to his Apostles: "Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.

These words must have been somewhat disconcerting to the apostles. Being sent as sheep among wolves is a certain sign of destruction. They knew how ruthless the Romans could be and how dispassionately legalistic their own religious leaders had become. They would be lambs led to the slaughter.

This would have been the case, except that the Lord wanted to use this as a means of revealing to them a great secret, one that would be revealed to succeeding generations of believers through the St. John the Apostle, "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." Jesus was not going to leave them alone in their mission. He would send the Holy Spirit with them - they may look like lambs, but they will have the courage and fortitude of a lion.

Jesus does not allow us to romanticize or idealize the life of the disciple; he tells us that it will be difficult, challenging us by his words and by his example. I pray for the wisdom to listen to the fullness of Jesus' words cherishing their comfort and promise and being called to be alert as I follow him. I take some time of silence and quiet to listen – to really listen – to what Jesus is saying. As I hear his word, I make a home for it in my heart. I trust that I will bring God’s word to life as God wants me to.

The circumstances in which Jesus invites us to share the Good News and the obstacles we experience in doing this are very different today than they were in Jesus’ time. To be with this reading in a prayerful way, name some of these difficulties you experience in being the best person you can be and speak to Jesus about them. Notice how gentle, how appreciative, and grateful he is for your doing the best you can. Tell him how you feel about him being like this; it is likely that a part of you will relish it but that another part will resist it. 

I learn from todays’ Gospel that discipleship is about personal sacrifice. But personal sacrifice must evolve and become a community obligation. And that community obligation transforms into satisfaction. When we reach this phase of satisfaction, we have brought heaven to earth. Here we laugh at the sacrifice because we are reunited with the Holy Spirit.  

Blessings,

Fr. Luis+