Matthew 10:7-15

Genesis 44:18-21, 23b-29; 45:1-5

Psalm 105:16-17, 18-19, 20-21

Matthew 10:7-15

Jesus said to his Apostles:

“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 words—

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.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I will strive to proclaim the inbreaking of your heavenly Kingdom upon the earth in my words and actions. I pray each day, “Thy Name be hallowed! Thy Kingdom Come! Thy will be done!” Indicate what I need to give up, where I need to go, and what I need to preach.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Missionary Personalities: Jesus’ twelve apostles display a variety of personalities and backgrounds and were likely able to use this in their mission. At one end of the spectrum, we find Simon the Cananean, who, with his zeal for the Torah, likely had nationalistic and revolutionary leanings. At the opposite end of the spectrum, we have Matthew, who worked with the foreign oppressors to collect taxes from his fellow Jews (see Mitch and Sri, The Gospel of Matthew, 142). Nestled between them, we have four illiterate fishermen. Simon the Cananean would be able to politically sympathize with other zealots and teach them how Jesus had corrected his understanding of the nation of Israel and its relation to the Gentiles. Likewise, Matthew could do the same with tax collectors and other public sinners who were shunned by the religious authorities. Both could say: “This is what I thought, or this is what I was doing, and this is how Jesus changed me!” Likewise, the four fishermen could reach the common laborer or even the small business owner. Their testimony was powerful because they left their nets and their father in the boat to follow Jesus. They were able to teach others how to be detached from the things of this passing world and trust in the way of Jesus. What we see is that the encounter with Jesus is transformative and that each of us can use our experiences to evangelize.

2. The Missionary Message: Every missionary sent by Jesus has the same message to preach: “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” This is a proclamation that God is the Lord of all things. The old creation is passing away, and the new creation has been unleashed upon the earth. The announcement of the Kingdom demands a human response, beginning with repentance, followed by humility, forgiveness, and seeking the surpassing righteousness that is set before us in the Beatitudes. The power and presence of the Kingdom are mediated through the Church’s apostolic leaders and members. Finally, while it is true that the Kingdom is breaking into the world, it awaits its consummation and full splendor at the end of time (see Mitch and Sri, The Gospel of Matthew, 80). When we announce the Kingdom, we are inviting people to welcome God into their lives, welcome the Church into their lives, and look forward to the definitive establishment of the Kingdom when Jesus returns in glory.

3. I Am Your Brother: In the First Reading, we learn how Joseph’s brothers have finally repented of the evil they committed against him. When Joseph demanded that Benjamin remain as a slave in Egypt for stealing a goblet, Judah, the one who originally proposed selling Joseph into slavery, offered himself as a slave in Benjamin’s place. Judah was willing to make an offering of himself to save his brother. “Joseph discerns the change in heart; his brothers are different men now. He breaks down crying and reveals, ‘I am your brother!’ After Joseph’s brothers overcome their shock, there is great rejoicing. They ask forgiveness for their great fault” (Gray and Cavins, Walking with God, 60). Joseph is wise and discerns God’s providential hand in all this. He was not resentful or angry with God for his sufferings and trials. Throughout his tribulations, Joseph was a model of filial trust and abandonment to God’s providential care.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, here I am, send me! I am your servant and know that your Father watches over me and sends the Spirit to guide me. Help me to know my strengths and weaknesses, my virtues and vices, so that I may be an effective apostle for your heavenly Kingdom.

Living the Word of God: How am I proclaiming the Kingdom of God in my daily life? Do I show that I am a member of God’s Kingdom through my words and actions? Am I allowing God to reign my perfectly and fully in my heart and my family? What areas of my life do I resist allowing the Kingdom to be established?