FIFTEENTH SUNDAY OF YEAR "B"

FIFTEENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR       Cycle “B”

Mark 6, 7 13

Let me tell you the little story of the poor, blind French lady. In Paris a woman who was poor and blind was seen putting 27 francs on the offering plate. A friend observed, “But you cannot afford so much.”  “Oh, yes, I can,” she replied. “You see, I asked my fellow straw workers how much they spend for oil in their lamps each year. ‘Twenty-seven francs’, they told me. So that is how much I save by being blind. I need no lamp, so I give the money to shed light in the darkness of heathen lands.” That poor blind woman was a true missionary. She made sacrifices. In other words, she could do without. She could be poor. Sacrifice, poverty, and people-centredness are the marks of a missionary. Jesus sent out the twelve apostles to continue his mission by casting out devils, healing the sick and preaching repentance. Someone has said that repentance is the art of becoming completely different.

Today’s liturgy of the word makes it very clear that Jesus commanded his disciples to go out and proclaim the gospel. If the apostles and the early Church had not gone out and preached the gospel, would the Church exist today?

There is a point in the lives of many of the followers of the Lord when they feel they must “go public”. Jesus himself went for it after his baptism and desert experience. In today’s Gospel, he sends out the twelve in pairs. St. Mark pays particular attention to Jesus’ instruction to the Twelve. They are allowed the means of travel (the staff and sandals), but not sustenance or protective clothing (bread, money, haversack or spare tunic). Jesus is demanding that they become totally dependent on hospitality. They are to take on the status of sojourner in the land. He knows that some people will reject the wandering preachers, just as he himself was rejected by his own townspeople. The Twelve are to leave these people and simply preach among those whose vocation includes the gift of hospitality.

Jesus’ refusal to allow the Twelve to bring money can appear extremely demanding. He is encouraging them to depend on the gift of the befriending spirit in other people. It is one way of showing one’s total dependence on a nurturing and sustaining God. It is risky; and there the matter rests.

The twelve apostles had a keen sense of urgency about their task. They had experienced the power to change their lives and now they desired to tell others of that power for the benefit of the others. Their hearts were filled with love for the people with whom they wanted to share the best thing they had, namely, the Christian faith, the gospel of mercy and reconcilement.

Each one of us makes up the Church. The Church exists in order to evangelise, to tell about Jesus and his salvation.

Certainly, we should witness to our faith by our charity, our compassion, our care for others and our desire to serve. But if we don’t make it clear that we are Christians, then people will rightly think that we are lovely, kind, decent, law-abiding and good individuals, but no witness is given to Christ. It is Christ who changes lives, transforms culture and gives meaning and purpose to human existence.

Today there are millions who have never heard of Christ; or who may know his name, but have not heard his message. How do we feel about that fact? Is it just an unfortunate statistic, or is it a challenge to us? Do we share Christ’s compassion? If so, how do we express it? St. John Chrysostom said: “Nothing is colder than a Christian who does not care for the salvation of others?” Sadly, we often fail to evangelise, perhaps because we have a highly developed sense of religious freedom, and are anxious not to offend anyone’s susceptibilities. We know it’s wrong to force the Gospel on anyone. Yet it is our right and privilege to offer the truth to others with respect and without coercion. In the same way, it is their right and privilege to receive from us the Good News of salvation.

PRAYER:       All-loving Christ,

We pray for those who have lost their faith,

And all who are questioning and searching.

Make us sensitive in listening to them,

And keep us from being judgemental or inward looking.

We also pray for those who have recently found new faith.

Help us to accompany them with warmth and wisdom,

So that, together, we may grow into a deeper knowledge of you,

For your love’s sake. 

Amen.