Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them
Once again, we hear a passage from the Gospel according to St. Mark that speaks of sending the Twelve. But each time we can find something new here. Jesus gives the apostles authority over evil spirits ... but also gives many recommendations for their "missionary journey." He commanded them not to take anything with them except the staff: neither bread, nor bag, nor money in a purse.
Money, bag, bread ... kind of necessary things in every journey also today. For example, it would be difficult for me to imagine a trip without this minimum. But Jesus says: you do not take it. Why? It is about relying on God's Providence. Total trust in God, who will look after those who go to do His Will, proclaim His Word. We can say yes, but a minimum of preparation must be done. Reading this, a natural (in my opinion) rebellion is born. How is it not to take a bag, bread, money. That would be a madman's trip.
And yet… total trust, trust in God, who will take care of all matters. Being prepared for everything, secured for every eventuality, makes us trust ourselves and our equipment, not in God. But go in sandals and do not take two tunics. This sentence is an extension of the above thoughts. Even such caution as taking two tunics is inadvisable. Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there. It seems obvious. When they receive you ... stay until you leave.
The second part talks about the second option. Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet. This shake dust is to be a testimony. I always wonder about the meaning of this gesture. It is about showing: we do not want anything from you, not even your dust. If you reject God's Word, stay stuck in your swamp, you had a chance, but you shut yourself off. Therefore, now let this dust from our feet remain with you.
So, they went out and called for conversion. They also cast out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them. The apostles set out. Their primary mission is a call to conversion. Everything else is a consequence of this mission. It is impossible to heal and cast out evil spirits withoutthisbasis, which is a call to conversion. And that is simple - Evangelization.
One More thought
Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. Jesus summoned to Himself those He had previously chosen to be apostles. Today He is giving them a new task in their vocation. He needs them. He gave them authority over unclean spirits and sends them to preach the Gospel. By this He confirms that each apostle is a choice with an endowment and a mission. It is not just a choice for a choice. How important it is to be open to all this treasure. To be the man chosen by Jesus, gifted and sent. It is to have a new life, new perspectives and a new task. By sending his apostles, Jesus chooses those whom He wants. It is not the people who saw Him and chose, but it is the Master's choice. God knows what is in our heart, He knows us like no other. It is a choice to be heroically faithful, not 50% or 75%.
It is a call to love and to give life until death. We know that only St. John died a natural death, and the rest, except Judas, gave their lives for Jesus. To have the courage to follow Jesus in good and bad. At 100%. It is not popular today in the era of belaying. It is good to have some way out of an embarrassing situation. But if we want to be an apostle of Jesus, we must be aware that we will face persecution, maybe rejection, abuse, contempt, mockery and many, many other humiliations. Are we ready to show our allegiance to the Master? Not just for a while, but for all the time, until death?
Until Tomorrow
fr. george