From: Luke 9:1-6
The Mission of the Apostles
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Commentary:
1-4. This is the first mission the Apostles were sent on. Jesus wants them to
gain experience which will stand to them in the mission they will have after He
ascends into Heaven. He charges them to do what He Himself did — preach the
Kingdom of God and heal the sick. This scene is commented on at greater
length in notes on Matthew 10:7-8; 10:9-10; and Mark 6:8-9.
[Notes on Matthew 10:7-8 states:
7-8. Previously, the prophets, when speaking of the messianic times, had used
imagery suited to the people’s spiritual immaturity. Now, Jesus, in sending His
Apostles to proclaim that the promised Kingdom of God is imminent, lays stress
on its spiritual dimension. The power mentioned in verse 8 are the very sign of
the Kingdom of God or the reign of the Messiah proclaimed by the prophets. At
first (chapters 8 and 9) it is Jesus who exercises these messianic powers; now
He gives them to His disciples as proof that His mission is divine (Isaiah 35:5-6;
40:9; 52:7; 61:1).]
[Notes on Matthew 10:9-10 states:
9-10. Jesus urges His disciples to set out on their mission without delay. They
should not be worried about material or human equipment: God will make up any
shortfall. This holy audacity in setting about God’s work is to be found throughout
the history of the Church: if Christians had bided their time, waiting until they had
the necessary material resources, many, many souls would never have received
the light of Christ. Once a Christian is clear in his mind about what God wants
him to do, he should not stay at home checking to see if he has the wherewithal
to do it. “In your apostolic undertakings you are right — it’s your duty — to consi-
der what means the world can offer you (2 + 2 = 4), but don’t forget — ever! — that,
fortunately, your calculations must include another term: God + 2 + 2 ...” (St. J.
Escriva, “The Way”, 471).
However, that being said, we should not try to force God’s hand, to have Him do
something exceptional, when in fact we can meet needs by our own efforts and
work. This means that Christians should generously support those who, because
they are totally dedicated to the spiritual welfare of their brethren, have no time
left over to provide for themselves: in this connection see Jesus’ promise in Mat-
thew 10:40-42.]
[Notes on Mark 6:8-9 states:
8-9. Jesus requires them to be free of any form of attachment if they are to
preach the Gospel. A disciple, who has the mission of bringing the Kingdom of
God to souls through preaching, should not rely on human resources but on
God’s Providence. Whatever he does need in order to live with dignity as a herald
of the Gospel, he must obtain from those who benefit from his preaching, for the
laborer deserves his maintenance (cf. Matthew 10:10).
“The preacher should so trust in God that he is convinced that he will have every-
thing he needs to support life, even if he cannot himself obtain it; for he should
not neglect eternal things through worrying about temporal things” (St. Bede, “In
Marci Evangelium Expositio, in loc.”). “By these instructions the Lord did not
mean that the evangelists should not seek to live in any other way than by de-
pending on what was offered them by those to whom they preached the Gospel;
otherwise this very Apostle [St. Paul] would have acted contrary to this precept
when he earned his living by the labor of his own hands” (St. Augustine, “De
Consensu Evangelistarum”, II, 30).]
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
Liturgical Colour: Green.
| First reading | Proverbs 30:5-9 © |
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| Give me neither riches nor poverty, only my share |
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| Responsorial Psalm |
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| Psalm 118(119):28,72,89,101,104,163 © |
| Gospel Acclamation | cf.Col3:16a,17 |
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| Or: | Mk1:15 |
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| Gospel | Luke 9:1-6 © |
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| 'Take nothing for the journey' |
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