Mark 6:7-13

Mark 6:7-13

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two

and gave them authority over unclean spirits.

He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick

– no food, no sack, no money in their belts.

They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic.

He said to them,

“Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there.

Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you,

leave there and shake the dust off your feet

in testimony against them.”

So they went off and preached repentance.

The Twelve drove out many demons,

and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I have been contemplating how your Son was both welcomed and rejected. I now contemplate how his Apostles were both welcomed and rejected. Help me to be an authentic instrument of your Word and Love, and not get discouraged when I am rejected like your Son and his Apostles.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The Twelve: The Church’s Apostolic Tradition, the living Word of God, needs a person, a witness, in order to be present throughout history. On the one hand, the eternal Word of God needs us, but we, in turn, need the living Word of God. This reciprocity between the content – the Word of God, the life of the Lord Jesus – and the person who carries on the work, is characteristic of the Church’s structure (see Benedict XVI, May 10, 2016). “The Lord founded the Church, as we have seen, by calling together the Twelve, who were to represent the future People of God” (Benedict XVI, May 10, 2016). In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus has been manifesting his divine authority to his Apostles. The four mighty deeds (Mark 4:35-5:43) all show that Jesus has the power to conquer death and free us from the fear of death. Jesus now communicates a share in this divine authority and power to the Twelve, who were appointed the leaders of the New Israel, the priests of the New Temple, and the officers of the New Kingdom of God. They were sent out with nothing but the clothes they were wearing, sandals, and a staff, which functioned also as a symbol of the authority they received from the Lord (see Exodus 4:20). In the age of the Church, the Apostles will appoint bishops, priests, and deacons who will minister to God’s people in various ways and be granted varying levels of authority. Bishops are ordained to teach, sanctify, and govern as the shepherds and overseers of God’s people (CCC, 1555-1561). Priests minister as the coworkers of the bishops (CCC, 1562-1568). Deacons are ordained for service, especially the service of charity (CCC, 1569-1571).

2. Suffering and Mission: The Son of God goes forth, together with his disciples, to engage in another round of mission with greater energy and reach than before. We encounter more healings, exorcisms, and controversies. Today, we read the opening scene of another Markan sandwich. The outer part of the sandwich is the sending out of the Twelve (Mark 6:7-13) and also their return (Mark 6:30). The center of the sandwich is the martyrdom of John the Baptist. The center illuminates the outer. “The point of this … sandwich, is that sacrificial death powers Christian mission, that the advance of the kingdom in Christ’s holy war that is marked by the healings and exorcisms will be consummated by his victorious death” (Huizenga, Loosing the Lion, 158). The mighty deeds – the healings and exorcisms – that the disciples will accomplish are the fruit of fearless fidelity in proclamation, suffering, and death. This is exemplified by John the Baptist, and his martyrdom will prefigure Jesus’ sacrificial death, which unleashes the merciful forgiveness and healing power of the Holy Spirit.

3. The Anointing of the Sick: Jesus sent out the Twelve Apostles in pairs to preach and drive out demons. But he also sent them out to minister to the sick. Their simple message of repentance will be accompanied by powerful signs of healing and exorcism that confirm the truth of their message. Both signs will be brought to their fullness in the age of the Church. The Sacraments of Baptism and Reconciliation are anticipated in the driving out of demons. The Sacrament of Anointing is anticipated in the curing of the sick with oil. This Gospel verse (Mark 6:13), together with James 5:14-16, are two of the biblical foundations for the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. “This is the only time in the Gospels that anointing with oil is mentioned in conjunction with curing the sick, although it later becomes a practice of the early Church (James 5:14). Oil was used for medicinal purposes (Luke 10:34), but here its sacramental value as a vehicle for divine healing is emphasized” (Healy, The Gospel of Mark, 117). Through the Sacraments – the Church’s mighty deeds throughout history – we share in the mystery of Jesus’ passion, death, and resurrection.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I want to hear your call to repentance each day. Do not let the noise of this world draw my attention away from your saving Word.

Living the Word of God: Can I spend time contemplating the mystery and power of the Church’s seven Sacraments? For example, do I truly appreciate my Baptism, by which I became an adopted child of God, a member of Christ’s Body, and a Temple of the Holy Spirit?