Read Online
Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus, “Do not go
into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. Go rather to the
lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this
proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” Matthew
10:5–7
The very last words of Jesus, just prior to His Ascension into
Heaven, expands the mandate we read above that Jesus gave to His
Apostles. He later says, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the holy Spirit…” (Matthew 28:19). Eventually, Jesus sends
the Twelve and all of His disciples to the ends of the earth to
proclaim the Gospel to every creature. But here, prior to the
coming of the Holy Spirit, and prior to the completion of Jesus’
earthly mission, He instructs the Twelve to go only “to the lost
sheep of the house of Israel.” Thus, Jesus gives a sort of priority
to the preaching of the Gospel to those who have already been
entrusted with the revelations of the Old Testament—that is, the
teachings of the Law of Moses and the prophets.
Though, today, we must all hear the call from our Lord to “make
disciples of all nations,” we must also hear this unique commission
to first preach to those who are already members of the family of
God. And though, today, the Holy Spirit has already come and the
Gospel has already gone forth far and wide, there is still an
important spiritual lesson to be learned by Jesus’ progressive
commission from those of the family of God to those who do not yet
know the Gospel.
Start with yourself. By hearing Jesus give special emphasis to His
Twelve to go first to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, you
should hear our Lord speaking especially about you. You, who were
baptized, have been confirmed and have received Holy Communion, now
have a special obligation to listen to and respond to the Gospel of
Christ. From there, God entrusts you with the sharing of the Gospel
in a special way to those who also share your faith. For that
reason, parents are uniquely obliged to share the Gospel with their
children. Friends within the same faith community are uniquely
obliged to reach out to others who share their faith. And pastors
of the Church must do the same. The Gospel is now universal and
must be proclaimed to all people, but this passage appears to
highlight the importance of sharing the Gospel with fellow
disciples of Christ.
We know from our daily life that there are many who profess faith
in Christ who still are not fully evangelized. There are many who
have received the Sacraments but lack the deep faith to which they
are called. It can appear that most fail to worship our Lord every
day, and many fail in their prayerful worship each and every week.
Therefore, it is useful to place yourself into this Gospel passage
and to hear our Lord call you to especially devote yourself to the
sharing of the Gospel with those who have already become members of
His Church, even if it is only in name.
If we begin with ourselves, seeking to daily grow deeper in our
life of faith, praying and seeking out the will of God, then God
will more easily be able to use us as He wills to share the faith
with those who belong to God’s family but whose faith may be weak.
And for those who are “all in” and have truly given themselves over
to Christ, God will certainly also use you for the proclamation of
the Gospel to those who have not yet come to know Christ through
the gift of faith.
Reflect, today, upon the invitation Jesus gives to you to be His
evangelist. First, look at your own life and do all you can to
allow the Gospel to transform you into a fervent follower of
Christ. From there, be open to the many ways that God wants to use
you every day to inspire others to become followers of our Lord.
Start with your family. Pray for them. Be attentive to the
promptings of grace God gives to reach out to them. Then turn your
eyes, also, to the wider community. Allow the Lord to lead, follow
His voice, and He will use you in many ways to help others come to
know His burning love for them.
My universal King, You came to establish Your Kingdom in the
lives of all people. You call all Your creatures to faith in You.
Help me to be among the first who turn to You with my whole heart.
Please also use me to become an instrument of Your saving grace to
those whom You’ve put into my life. My life is Yours, dear Lord.
Use me as You will. Jesus, I trust in You.
James Tissot, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Source of content:
catholic-daily-reflections.com
Copyright 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved.
Used with permission via RSS feed.
Kommentare (0)
Melde dich an, um einen Kommentar zu schreiben.