Reflection for July 13, Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 10:7-15

Gospel: 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.” 

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Reflection:

The story is told about a righteous man who was thinking about the kingdom of God, he was asking himself, when will I feel the kingdom of God? Then, suddenly he had a heart attack and he died after which his soul was ushered by an angel into heaven to be with Jesus. 

The kingdom of God comes to us through the many avenues of life and one of these avenues is though our death. Are we already prepared for death? Many if not all of us would say, not yet for we still have our many preoccupations in life. 

We are so busy with many earthly things but have we been busy with the heavenly things, with the things for God? The things which will bring us to close friendship with Jesus; such as doing good toward others? 

The instruction of Jesus for the apostles is HIS marching order for us as well. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. In other words Jesus is telling us to make a difference in the lives of others most especially the poor. Let us not be selfish, let us rather be sensitive to their needs and we help them for in doing so we bring ourselves closer to the Lord. 

Would we gain financial windfall for doing Jesus mission in this world? No we will not but let us not be afraid to follow the instruction of Jesus. Because when we follow we are already preparing our eternal dwelling in heaven someday. 

What would we gain lf we have all the wealth in this world if we would be hellbound someday?  And if we don’t have God in our heart?  – Marino J. Dasmarinas