Mk 6:7-13 Summoned, Sent and Surprised!

Mk 6:7-13 Summoned, Sent and Surprised!

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“The glory of God is a man fully alive.” (St. Irenaeus of Lyons)

The Lord knew his Apostles; he loved them; he sent them. The mission of the Church began long before Christ died. The sending of the Twelve represents that which is still the most important aspect of the Church: Evangelization. The Church is missionary in mind, spirit, heart and soul.

Christ is alive and all who live and work through Him are most alive!

GOD KNOWS ME. “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.” That God knows me means that I can truly know myself. I belong to Him. I come from Him. I am His. My life has meaning because it comes from the One who created me, molded me and breathed in me his image and likeness. Every time I take a breath, it is like saying his holy name – YHWH.

“Love your neighbor as yourself” – Know it makes sense! For in my neighbor I see my reflection, like it or not. What he/she does I have done, for better or for worse, and I can love it or hate it, but in the end – I recognize it, I have seen it before, it is near to me - loud and clear.

HE LOVES ME. I know He wants me to be happy. I want to be happy too. Am I on the same roller coaster ride as He is? The cost and the ride are high. Alex Jones, the former Pentecostal preacher turned Catholic, would remind us all, No price too high. Christ suffered and died on the cross so that I could be happy. Was that not enough? Was there anything else he should have done? Is there anything else I need? “Take nothing with you for the journey except your mind, body, heart and soul – take my soul…and remember, I am with you always, till the end of time.” No purchases are necessary.

Every time I went on missions to the Philippines, I bought a ton of food and stuff for the seven days. It was always a waste of money and space since the people were so kind and generous to us. None of us went begging! In the end, we ended up leaving it behind or giving it away as souvenirs!

Here is the million dollar question: If the Lord wants me to be happy, then why does the Lord make me suffer? This is my answer: I am more than convinced that my suffering makes others happy. Am I above the Lord? Am I above the Master? No. Not in anything. I must pick up my cross and follow Him, just as He did. And for this journey of faith, I need nothing else. I have all that I need – I have His love, his example. I travel light so that I may receive His love.

HE SENT ME. God sent me to love, to heal, to cure and to serve. “They went off and preached repentance.” We all want to confess our sins. Just recently a teenager admitted to me that she was extremely selfish. I told her to give away what she had. She immediately replied, “No way Father!” I then asked her to give me her cool looking ring – it was an interesting ring, nothing super expensive, but definitely very stylish. I could tell by the look on her face she couldn’t believe what I was asking for! Finally, after much hesitation, she gradually pulled the ring off her finger and placed it in the palm of my hand. I told her, “Whoever gives, receives.” Then I immediately placed the ring in the palm of her hand. She was overjoyed! Not only because she received her ring back, but because she received something more surprising: JOY! Then it dawned on me, whenever you give something to the Lord, you receive much more than you gave, a surprise: UNEXPECTED HAPPINESS!

He sent me and I am thrilled to death for it. There is much joy for me to give every single day of my life!