The Twelve Apostles

Friday, January 24, 2014
2nd Week in Ordinary Time
1st Reading:
1Sam 24: 3-21
Gospel: Mark 3:13-19

Jesus went up into the hill country and called those he wanted and they came to him. So he appointed twelve to be with him; and he called them apostles. He wanted to send them out to preach, and he gave them authority to drive out demons.

These are the Twelve: Simon, to whom he gave the name Peter; James, son of Zebedee, and John his brother, to whom he gave the name Boanerges, which means “men of thunder”; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alpheus, Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.

D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the
Assimilated Life
Experience)

A Roman Catholic Priest, an Anglican priest and a Baptist preacher were standing near a river while arguing about whose church was authentic. The Roman Catholic priest said, “We are the authentic Church because we descended directly from the Apostles with Peter as first pope”. He then said, “I can even prove my point by walking on the water”. Then he proceeded to walk on the water to the other side.

The Anglican Priest likewise walked on the water to the other side to prove the authenticity of his church. The Baptist preacher, on the other hand, said that he cared little about their origins and that what really mattered to him was that he studied the word and preached it purely. But when he stepped on the water to prove his point he sank knee deep into the river. The Roman Catholic Priest whispered to the Anglican Priest, “Do you think we should tell him where the rocks are?” (From the internet).

Let’s get to something more serious about rocks now. The Bible tells us that Jesus built his Church on a rock. He began by choosing twelve men as core members. The enumeration in today’s Gospel reading begins with Peter and ends with Judas. The placement of their names reminds us of their reputation: Peter was the acknowledged leader while Judas was the known traitor. Both however betrayed Jesus in the end.

Peter was in the dark when he betrayed Jesus. This emotional state, however, cannot absolve him because the rooster was there to refresh his mind about his conversation with Jesus when his betrayal was foretold. The crowing of the rooster should have restored him to the same alacrity with which he promised Jesus never to betray him.

Jesus’ choice of weak people to compose the core of a Church designed to last was Jesus’ way of committing his person to the supervision of his Church. True enough he said before he ascended to heaven: “I will be with you until the end of time” (Matthew 28:20). – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: [email protected]. Website: www.frdan.org.
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