September 26, 2018Wednesday, 25th Week in Ordinary Time
1st Reading: Prov 30: 5-9 Gospel: Lk 9:1–6
Jesus called his twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to drive out all evil spirits and to heal diseases. And he sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He instructed them, “Don’t take anything for the journey, neither walking stick, nor bag, nor bread, nor silver coins; and don’t even take a spare tunic. Whatever house you enter, remain there until you leave that place. And wherever they don’t welcome you, leave the town and shake the dust from your feet: it will be as a testimony against them.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
Jesus’ message to the Twelve Apostles before they left for the mission carried four distinct instructions, namely, to heal, to exorcise demons, to announce the coming of the kingdom, and to leave unresponsive towns behind. (The acronym ‘heal’ is a good mnemonics). Jesus was already performing these before he asked his apostles to do the same. Consider the following.
HEALING THE SICK. After Jesus healed Simon’s mother-in-law, he also healed all sick persons brought to him (Luke 4: 38-40). He cured the leper (Luke 5: 12-16), the paralytic (Luke 5:17-26), the man with a withered hand on a Sabbath (Luke 6:6-10), the slave of the centurion (Luke 7:1-10), the daughter of Jairus, and the woman with a hemorrhage (Luke 8:40-56).
EXORCISM OF DEMONS. After he cured Simon’s mother-in-law, and healing sick people brought to him, he rebuked demons, including those who recognized him as Son of God (Luke 4:38-41). He was aggressive in his fight against demons. At the territory of the Gerasenes, Jesus drove out not just one but a legion of demons from a possessed man (Luke 8:40-56).
ANNOUNCING THE KINGDOM. After Jesus healed many sick people including the mother-in-law of Simon, the crowd went looking for him. But Jesus said he also had to go to other towns to announce the kingdom (Luke 4:43. See also Luke 8:1).
LEAVING BEHIND UNRESPONSIVE TOWNS. Jesus respected the freedom of people. At one time, the disciples asked permission to pray for fire and brimstone to fall on a town that did not welcome them. But Jesus did not tolerate violence. He merely moved on to another town. In line with this instructed his apostles to leave inhospitable towns in testimony against them (Luke 9:1-6).
To Heal, to Exorcise demons, to Announce the coming of the kingdom, and to Leave unresponsive towns behind in testimony against them (“H.E.A.L.”). These indeed are works needed by society today. Let us support our ministers as they carry out this mandate to H.E.A.L. the world. – (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., D.M.
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