Sunday, June 16, 2002
11th Sunday in Ordinary Time
1st Reading: Ex 19:2-6
In those days, the Israelites came to the desert and camped in the wilderness
of Sinai.
The Israelites camped there in front of the mountain, but Moses went up
to God and Yahweh called to him from the mountain, saying, "This
is what you are to say and to explain to the Israelites: You have seen
what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you on eagle's wings and
brought you to myself. Now if you listen to me and keep my covenant, you
shall be my very own possession among all the nations. For all the earth
is mine, but you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation."
2nd Reading: Rom 5:6-11
Brothers and sisters, Christ died for us when we were still sinners and
unable to do anything. Few would accept to die for an upright person;
although, for a very good person, perhaps someone would dare to die. But
see how God manifested his love for us: while we were still sinners, Christ
died for us and we have become just through his blood. With much more
reason now he will save us from any condemnation. Once enemies, we have
been reconciled with God through the death of his Son; with much more
reason now we may be saved through his life. Not only that; we feel secure
in God because of Christ Jesus, our Lord, through whom we have been reconciled.
Gospel: Mt 9:36-10:8
When Jesus saw the crowds he was moved with pity, for they
were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said
to his disciples, "The harvest is abundant but the workers are only
few. Ask the master of the harvest to send workers to gather his harvest."
Then he called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority over
the unclean spirits to drive them out and to heal every disease and sickness.
These are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon, called Peter,
and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John;
Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew, the tax collector; James,
the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon, the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot,
the man who would betray him.
Jesus sent these twelve on mission with the instruction: "Do not
visit pagan territory and do not enter a Samaritan town. Go instead to
the lost sheep of the people of Israel. Go and proclaim this message.
The kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, bring the dead back to life,
cleanse the lepers, and drive out demons. You received this as a gift,
so give it as a gift."
Commentary
In the 1970s I was in the mountains of Quezon Province, Philippines,
visiting families, praying and sharing life with them. I would go from
one house to another, stay wherever I was welcomed, and after a day or
two, move on to the next mountain or valley.
I brought nothing with me except the pocket-sized New Testament I had
in my pocket. It was there that I experienced God's care for his disciples
through the generosity of the simple people who let me in to their homes
and hearts. There were evenings that we talked about how God maniftested
him/herself in their lives, how God brought them to where they were. And
there were days that as farmers plowed their field, I was with them, helping
in the work and sowing the Word.