Word to the Wise
Wednesday, July 12, 2023 - Wednesday in the 14th Week in Ordinary Time
[Gen 41:55-57; 42:5-7a, 17-24a and Matt 10:1-7]Jesus 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, "Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. Go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. As you go, , make this proclamation: 'The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.'" [Matthew]
Today's gospel scripture from the Gospel According to Matthew begins the "missionary discourse" which comprises chapter 10 of this gospel. It largely reflects the experience of the first missionaries, the Twelve, as well as those who joined them. It also might be a "curriculum of formation" for disciples of any age and time. In today's terms it might be summarized as "stay on message (the Kingdom of heaven is at hand), concentrate on healing, live simply, focus on your audience (lost sheep of the house of Israel), and expect resistance and persecution.
The list of names at the beginning of today's passage could leave anyone scratching their heads and wondering why Jesus picked that one, especially Judas. Perhaps someday someone else will see our names connected with preaching the gospel and wonder why Jesus picked us! (I recommend Dietrich Bonhoeffer's THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP as a source of inspiration in this regard.) As we make our way through the Gospel According to Matthew, the missionary discourse can serve as a way of understanding the discipleship Jesus expects. AMEN