Then Jesus called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, giving them authority over unclean spirits.

 

Then Jesus called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, giving them authority over unclean spirits. 8 He instructed them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, and no money in their belts. 9 He ordered them to wear sandals and not to wear two tunics. 10 And Jesus said to them, “When you enter a house, stay there until you leave. 11 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to you, when you leave, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 12 Then the twelve went out and preached that everyone should repent. 13 They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil, healing them.

—The Word of the Lord.

Reflection

1. Preparing disciples and sending them on mission is a sign of Jesus’ universal and salvific interest, who wanted to form those who would continue his mission in the world, once they had become participants in this project. It was the Lord’s will to use human mediation ever since he chose to become incarnate. Each disciple is invited to be in solidarity with Christ in the mission and its consequences. To do so, they needed to firmly maintain the perspective of the Kingdom of God, of the condition of servants, to free themselves from the temptation to form disciples for themselves and to remain on the path traced by Jesus.

2. The disciple is chosen, prepared and sent by the initiative of Jesus Christ to carry out the same mission, with the same power, in the same condition of servant and with the same purpose. The dignity of the disciple lies in being a disciple forever, totally free and available for the evangelizing mission and to live a profound intimacy with the Master. The greater the intimacy, the greater the depth.

3. The disciple should have no other wealth than Christ. His treasure is the Lord himself, his mission and teachings. The Word of God and communion with Him must fill the entire life of the disciple and stimulate him, making him fervent in the evangelizing ministry. The more detached a person is, the more capable he will be of being a disciple. Availability requires detachment and total surrender of oneself to the mission of Christ.

4. The gesture of the sandals indicates the seriousness of the mission. The time of decision has come. Opting for the Kingdom of God in Jesus Christ is extremely necessary for salvation. The New and Eternal Covenant is given through Him. He is the one to whom the entire Old Testament and all humanity tend. Without Christ, salvation for creation is impossible. To deny Jesus Christ is the same as denying the entire salvific plan of God. In other words: it is to deny God himself. Shaking the dust off one's sandals is a testimony of one's awareness of the truth of what one preaches against those who cannot see the Light that shines in the world for everyone.

5. Today, more than ever, the world needs men and women who are passionate about Christ and His Church, in order to carry out true discipleship. To do this, knowledge of the Word, freedom from all forms of dependence, the desire to carry out the mission in Jesus’ way, and availability are essential. Will there be persecution? Certainly. But let us not forget that the greatest battle of our lives is against our own wills. How can we overcome them? By submitting ourselves, clearly, to the will of God.

A big and affectionate hug.