Matthew 9:36 – 10:8

At the sight of the crowds, Jesus’ 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.
The names of the twelve apostles are these:
first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew;
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John;
Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector;
James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus;
Simon from Cana, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.

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.’
Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons.
Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”

A few things strike me about the Gospel reading today. First is Jesus’ care and concern for those following Him. They are longing for something, and that longing can only be filled with the grace of God. Jesus knows that people everywhere need God, need His grace. But the number of those able or willing to proclaim the good news of God are not enough. They have never been enough. Today, perhaps among Catholics especially, the idea that we are all given the responsibility to spread the good news of Jesus is not so appreciated. People think this responsibility is the unique discharge of priests and religious. It is not. This responsibility is given to us, not by the sacrament of Holy Orders, but by the sacrament of Baptism. We are all to proclaim the good news of Jesus.

How do we do this? We do this by living lives that don’t make sense unless God exists. If we do this, we will gain notice. Why are you so happy? Why are you so at peace? Why do you never get riled up or perturbed when things go awry? Then we get to tell them about Jesus? First, we attract peoples’ interests with the lives that we live, then we give them the reason behind the lives that we live.

Another thing that strikes me about this Gospel: the apostles are given authority over unclean spirits and every kind of illness. This is not a charism that all share. Rather, it’s a charism given to the few, on the authority of the apostles and their successors. Who are the successors of the apostles? The bishops of the Church. This is not to say that the bishops themselves have the authority to cast out demons and cure every illness. Though wouldn’t that be wonderful! But those who do have this authority are to work under the authority of the bishop. Otherwise, the temptation would be ever-present to regard oneself as special and able to act without the authority of the bishop. This results in chaos. There are those who have the gift of casting out demons, and others who have the gift of healing. But none of these can to their work on their own. They need to Church as surely as anyone else, perhaps even moreso! The temptation to “go on one’s own” is too strong. The authority of the bishop keeps their egos in check.

There is Jesus telling the apostles that the message they are to preach to the lost sheep of the house of Israel is this: The kingdom of heaven is at hand! For baptized Christians, our faith is that the kingdom of God is a mystery of “already but not yet.” The kingdom is here already, in that Jesus has given the world His Church. It is the ordinary mission of the Church to proclaim the good news about Jesus to all. Yes, there are other parts of the mission: social justice, honorable worship, good morals, etc. But the mission of the Church is to proclaim the good new of Jesus Christ. Everything else is secondary, though they can certainly be instruments that we can use to attract people to hear the good news. As has been said, for the starving the name of God is “Bread.” As well, the kingdom is not here yet, because God’s plan for our salvation is not yet fulfilled. That will take place at the Second Judgment – well all will stand before the throne and asked to give an account of our lives. Or, perhaps, Jesus our Judge will give us an account of our lives. Either way, we want that to go well.

Finally, on a more personal note: Jesus says, “Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.” This is why I don’t charge for the work that I do as a deacon. Sometimes, churches give me a stipend, or take up a love offering. I don’t refuse those. But I do let it be known that I expect no financial payment for what I do as a deacon: baptisms, weddings, funerals, presentations, retreats, missions – I do not ask for payment for anything. A great gift has been given to me. The only payment I desire is the opportunity to tell others about Jesus.

Be Christ for all. Bring Christ to all. See Christ in all.