July 15, 2018 Sunday, 15th Sunday in Ordinary Times 1st Reading: Am 7:12–15 2nd Reading: Eph 1:3–14 Gospel: Mk 6:7–13
Jesus called the Twelve to him and began to send them out two by two, giving them authority over evil spirits. And he ordered them to take nothing for the journey except a staff; no food, no bag, no money in their belts. They were to wear sandals and were not to take an extra tunic. And he added, “In whatever house you are welcomed, stay there until you leave the place. If any place doesn’t receive you and the people refuse to listen to you, leave after shaking the dust off your feet. It will be a testimony against them.” So they set out to proclaim that this was the time to repent. They drove out many demons and healed many sick people by anointing them.
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the
Assimilated Life
Experience)
When God calls he empowers. Jesus prepared the twelve apostles for the Mission by calling them to follow him as fishers of men and by giving to them power over unclean spirits. The Mission was to make disciples of all people, the Vision was the establishment of the kingdom on earth, the Key Result Area was ‘metanoia’ (conversion), the Performance Indicator was baptism in water and Spirit, the Strategy was total evangelization (preaching, healing and driving out demons), the Program was ‘Sequela Christi’ (following Christ through self denial and carrying of one’s cross).
By calling the Apostles to become fishers of men Jesus realigned their career paths to the Father’s dream of world unity (one flock under one shepherd). The first apostles who received the call left their nets immediately. We do not know if they followed Jesus for noble reasons. Some of them were probably dissatisfied with the way their fishing profession was going, and they wanted to try this novel type of fishing in the hope of finding greener pasture. Peter himself once asked what they could get in return for leaving behind their families. The reasons of the others were probably just as mundane.
It was to these people with imperfect motives that Jesus entrusted the mission. By implication it was also to them that Jesus gave the authority to heal and to drive out demons (Mark 3: 13-16). Through these weak people, God’s strength was manifested as “many signs and wonders were done among the people at the hands of the Apostles” (Acts 5:12). Because they cooperated with God’s grace, they went through a process of intention purification as they went about fulfilling that mission.
When God calls, he empowers. He has to, if he continues choosing the weak and the powerless. — (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com.
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