Reading 1 Hos 11:1-4, 8e-9
When Israel was a child I loved him,
out of Egypt I called my son.
The more I called them,
the farther they went from me,
Sacrificing to the Baals
and burning incense to idols.
Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
who took them in my arms;
I drew them with human cords,
with bands of love;
I fostered them like one
who raises an infant to his cheeks;
Yet, though I stooped to feed my child,
they did not know that I was their healer.
My heart is overwhelmed,
my pity is stirred.
I will not give vent to my blazing anger,
I will not destroy Ephraim again;
For I am God and not man,
the Holy One present among you;
I will not let the flames consume you.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 80:2ac and 3b, 15-16
O shepherd of Israel, hearken.
From your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth.
Rouse your power.
R. Let us see your face, Lord, and we shall be saved.
Once again, O LORD of hosts,
look down from heaven, and see:
Take care of this vine,
and protect what your right hand has planted,
the son of man whom you yourself made strong.
R. Let us see your face, Lord, and we shall be saved.
Alleluia Mk 1:15
R. Alleluia, alleluia.The Kingdom of God is at hand:
repent and believe in the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Mt 10:7-15
“As you go, make this proclamation:
‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
Cure the sick, raise the dead,
cleanse the lepers, drive out demons.
Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.
Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts;
no sack for the journey, or a second tunic,
or sandals, or walking stick.
The laborer deserves his keep.
Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it,
and stay there until you leave.
As you enter a house, wish it peace.
If the house is worthy,
let your peace come upon it;
if not, let your peace return to you.
Whoever will not receive you or listen to your wordsC
go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet.
Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable
for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment
than for that town.”
THE ECOLOGY OF MISSION
"As you go..." –Matthew 10:7
We all are missionaries by virtue of our Baptisms. It is extremely important for each of us to accomplish our missions for the Lord. To do this, we must know and respect the ecology of mission.
Our missions are ones of healings, miracles, and deliverances (Mt 10:8). These acts of God's power, however, are not to be isolated from proclaiming the kingdom of God (Mt 10:7). Moreover, we will not have the power of mission if we have not chosen the poverty of mission (Mt 10:9-10). Also, we won't be able to reach the world with the gospel until we have reached and blessed the homes (Mt 10:12). World-evangelization is home-based. Furthermore, our missions will be stopped or warped if we don't shake off the dust (see Mt 10:14) of rejection, unforgiveness, resentment, discouragement, and bitterness. Mission takes place in a veritable dust storm of hurts, misunderstandings, and brokenness. We must accept God's grace to "shake it off," or our missions will be impossible.
All Christians, that is, all missionaries, need to be spiritual environmentalists and ecologists. Let us totally give our lives to God. Let us do the whole thing God's way, and our missions will be accomplished.
| PRAYER: | Jesus, in love and obedience, I will go and make disciples of all nations (Mt 28:19). |
| PROMISE: | "I drew them with human cords, with bands of love; I fostered them like one who raises an infant to his cheeks." –Hos 11:4 |
| PRAISE: | Sandra persevered through rejection and discouragement to finding reconciliation and forgiveness in Jesus. |
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