Matthew 10:37-42

2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16a

Psalm 89:2-3, 16-17, 18-19

Romans 6:3-4, 8-11

Matthew 10:37-42

Jesus said to his apostles:

“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me,

and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;

and whoever does not take up his cross

and follow after me is not worthy of me.

Whoever finds his life will lose it,

and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

“Whoever receives you receives me,

and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.

Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet

will receive a prophet’s reward,

and whoever receives a righteous man

because he is a righteous man

will receive a righteous man’s reward.

And whoever gives only a cup of cold water

to one of these little ones to drink

because the little one is a disciple—

amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, grant us hearts that place you above every earthly attachment and hands ready to receive your servants with love and gratitude. United to your Son through Baptism, may we die to sin each day and walk in newness of life until we share fully in your Kingdom.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Apostolic Ambassadors: In his second major discourse in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus is giving instructions to his apostles before sending them out to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom, heal the sick, and cast out demons. Jesus’ disciples cannot put family loyalties above him and need to take up their cross. Although not every disciple will be called to actual martyrdom, all are called to die daily to self. Those who seek happiness in life by pursuing their own interests will never be fulfilled. Only by giving one’s self to God and others do we experience the lasting fulfillment God wants us to have” (Mitch and Sri, The Gospel of Matthew, 148. When Jesus tells his apostles that “whoever receives you receives me,” he is likely referring to the Jewish tradition of an ambassador (shaliah). This person possessed the full authority of the person he represented. “The apostles do not teach on their own authority. Behind their preaching and healing is the authority of Jesus Christ himself. To accept the teaching of the apostles is to accept Jesus. But we can also see from this background of the shaliah that to reject the ministry of the apostles is no small matter. It is to reject Jesus: ‘Whoever rejects you rejects me’ (Luke 10:16). Yet the one who does receive the apostles receives not only Jesus but also God, for Jesus stands as a shaliah of the heavenly Father: ‘whoever receives me receives the one who sent me’” (Mitch and Sri, The Gospel of Matthew, 149).

2. Elisha: We read from the story of the prophet Elisha today because of its parallels with the mission of Jesus’ apostles. Jesus refers to receiving and welcoming prophets and righteous people. He uses the example of giving a prophet a cup of cold water. The wealthy woman in the First Reading often welcomed the prophet Elisha to her home and provided him with a room and provided him with food. When Elisha wanted to reciprocate the gift, he learned that she had no children and that her husband was “getting on in years.” Moved by the Holy Spirit, Elisha prophesied that she would have a son in a year. And so, it came to pass. The woman didn’t serve Elisha because she wanted something. She only knew that he was a “holy man of God.” She gave generously, and God rewarded her generosity. We, too, need to be attentive to the voice of the Spirit and discern how to welcome and serve those who have dedicated their lives to the extension of God’s Kingdom.

3. Baptized into Christ Jesus: In his Letter to the Romans, Paul is presenting his thesis that we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ, and not by “works of the Law” (Romans 3:20). Like a good teacher, he addresses objections to his thesis. We read his response to the objection that says that: If we are not saved by obedience to the Old Law, but by faith, then we are free to keep sinning (Romans 6:1). Paul employs three images in his response to this objection. We read about the first image, that of death. Paul argues that we cannot live in sin any longer because we have died to sin through our Baptism. By going down into the water, we share in Christ’s death and burial. And by rising from the water, we share in Christ’s resurrection and new life. Our old, sinful nature that we received from Adam has been destroyed. And we have received a new, purified, and elevated nature from Jesus, the New Adam. Paul will use two other images to speak about how we ought to live. He will speak about how we are no longer slaves to sin, but slaves of God (Romans 6:22). And he will speak about how we are no longer married to sin, but married to Christ, our human and divine bridegroom (Romans 7:6). Through our Baptism, we have become adopted children of God and members of the Church, the bride of Christ. After our Baptism, we are called to continue rejecting and being dead to sin, to flourish as obedient children, and to be faithful to our bridegroom redeemer.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you call your disciples to take up the cross, follow you, and love you above all things. Teach us to recognize your presence in the least of your messengers and to offer even a cup of cold water with generous faith. Having been buried and raised with you through Baptism, strengthen us to persevere in holiness and share in the life of your resurrection.

Living the Word of God: What attachment, priority, or habit in my life competes with my love for Christ, and how can I place him more clearly at the center of my decisions this week? How can I welcome Christ through the people he sends into my life – family members, coworkers, neighbors, parishioners, or those in need – and what concrete act of hospitality or generosity can I offer this week? Since I have been united with Christ through baptism, what specific sin should I die to and what virtue should I actively cultivate so that the new life of Christ may be more evident in my daily actions?