May the Lord give you peace and health in the Holy Spirit. It is 11th July 2021. We celebrate the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
We reflect from Amos 7:12-15; Ephesians 1:3-14; and the Gospel from Mark 6:7-13.On this Sunday, we are invited to reflect the purpose of being a believer.
In the first reading, we read Amos a layman and herdsman is called by God to be a prophet. Amos was a simple man not a simpleton. A critical observer of all social injustice. He was called to prophesy against those who were corrupting and doing immorality. It was the time of plenty, the rich were enjoying life forgetting the poor and exploiting them and afflicted them into slavery. Justice and compassion were absent in that society. He went to the royal temple of Bethel and challenged the dishonest and disloyal priest Amaziah in the temple. “Amos is plotting against you. the land is unable to endure all his words.” In answering to that comes todays reading. Amos did not become the prophet by a self-appointment or by royal appointment. But God called him to announce: “Go, prophesy to my people Israel.”
In the second reading, St. Paul expounds the lavishness of God’s grace in saving the world through Jesus. God chose us before the foundation of the world. Prophet Jeremiah: St Augustine said, “God who made us without our consent, will not save us without our consent.”
In the Gospel, Jesus sends the twelve apostles on a missionary tour to be the carriers of the Word. They were asked to travel light weight and as a light among the people. Never to rely on their resources but from the source of God. With no bread and no money simply depending on the kindness of people. Relying on God and depending on God.
By Baptism, we are called, chosen, and sent. Preaching the conversion, empowering people to fight against the evil, sinful, unjust, and ungodly ways of the world, and alleviating pain, sorrow, suffering from the lives of people.
A wealthy man passed by a poor girl who was standing looking for help as she and her family did not have anything to eat. He cursed the society and all who made her to be that way. When he entered the church, the thought of the orphan girl came to him, and he started complaining to God about her situation and advising God how God be silent seeing all these and doing nothing. Then he heard God in the depths of his being responding by saying “Yes friend I did something. I created you.”
God created us and entrusted us with a mission to complete. We are not here by chance or by an accident. We have the purpose to share and shine the light of Christ to all people.
Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard is urging us to realise that radical discipleship to Christ means much more than mere involvement or token contributions to the mission of the church in the world, but radical and authentic discipleship calls for wholehearted and total life commitment.
We are all entrusted with the mission because we have the vision of Christ in our hearts and life. Hence, we all have Threefold mission. Calling people for repentance, to be witness of truth against the lies of the world and to work for the integral healing of persons. To achieve this Jesus proposes spirit of detachment and experience of attachment with people.
Have the minimum, give the maximum is the thumb rule for Jesus to all the missionary disciples. There are three types of people in this world. The people who fix the tires, the people who stand around saying “fix the tire” and the people who sit around and do nothing. Which one are you? Our mission needs to have the primary motive as the love of God and openness to respect and dialogue with other cultures.
God does not need your cheques and material gifts, but God needs us as persons. Story of a parish priest who announced the parishioners to send the children for youth missionary work programme. One parent came and told him that he was willing to send a bulk cheque not the child. In reply to the parish priest reminded him: when God wanted to save the world, God did not send a cheque but His only Son Jesus.
We are all invited to be the missionary disciples who love, care, share the Good News that God loves the world untiringly through His beloved son Jesus.
Every company choose the best while Jesus looks everyone us to work for the Kingdom. But God wants to offer the best to the world with weak and less popular people. “Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise.” (1 Cor. 1:26-29).
We are not satisfied with economic welfare to the fullest but spiritual contentment. A modern philosopher has put it this way: “Humanity’s sickness is that it has nothing to believe in …, people cannot live without a sense of significance.” We are not called to be merely a disciple but an apostle. Is it possible to be a missionary with the instruction given in the Gospel today? How many would like to come forward to do such work? God is not interested in our calculate charity but immeasurable love to accompany people to experience God in their difficult moments of life.
Are we serious about our call? May God bless you.