Saint Joseph’s, Pickering

12th July 2009

Isn’t it amazing how when things go badly we immediately turn to God and pray for all we are worth. We can sail through life, just getting on with the ordinary day to day things, not giving too much thought to God’s providential guidance, generosity and goodness. Most of the time we do not even offer so much as a sly wink of acknowledgement that all good gifts come from God. Yet let a little dark cloud of a problem appear on the horizon and we are down on our knees asking, even demanding help. We say we trust in God, but often we don’t live like that.
Today the Twelve are sent out to preach. They were to:
(1) Preach repentance. Repentance was a process by which the disciple was freed from all attachments which displaced Jesus Christ as the centre of his or her life. It meant accepting Jesus as the “number one”, the focal point and foundation of one’s life.
The Twelve were also sent to:
(2) Cast out devils and cure the sick. And here Jesus tells his followers that they are to do the same. By the power of his name, by the power of the good news entrusted to them they were commissioned to do the same.
The Twelve had to trust, had to learn to trust in Jesus’ word, in Jesus’ command. They had to learn to believe that when he asked them to do something he would give them whatever they needed to carry out this commission. And “learn” is the right word, because we know in reading the scriptures that they made lots of mistakes, getting it wrong on many occasions. They did not always trust and they did not always believe. However, as imperfect as they were, the Lord sent them and gifted them; and eventually they began to trust and believe.
We often say that we say we trust in God, that we believe that God will “give us this day our daily bread and deliver us from evil.” But often we don’t live like that. We are being called just as the Twelve were called. We are being asked to trust and believe; trust in Jesus’ word and to believe that when he asks us to do something, he will give us whatever we need to do it.
Through the strength and power of our baptism and confirmation we can recognise that we are called and sent, commissioned and gifted for the work of spreading the Gospel and building up the Church.
Let’s begin today to live our lives trusting and believing that we are called and sent, and gifted to bring that message to all we meet.

Missionary God, from the beginning of time you have sent patriarchs and judges, prophets and kings, men and women to your people. In the fullness of time, you sent Jesus, your Son, to be the messenger of your good news. Send us out with his authority that we may preach repentance, overcome evil, and offer your healing hand to those who are sick. We ask this through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen