Saturday 7 December 2024
St Ambrose
Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26. Happy are all who long for the coming of the Lord – Psalm 146(147):1-6. Matthew 9:35 – 10:1, 6-8.
The Twelve are sent out
At this point in his ministry, Jesus is getting used to seeing crowds wherever he speaks. Each new town means hundreds of new faces, all eagerly trying to see the strange miracle-working young rabbi. And, when Jesus looks over each new crowd of Jewish people struggling in occupied territory under Roman rule, he thinks they are ‘harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd’. He says nothing about their dire political plight, but his heart goes out to them.
In the verse, you can almost see the internal gears working in Jesus’ mind; the dawning recognition that to reach all the people he needs to reach, he must upscale the movement. Because at this stage, as a small-town travelling rabbi with some growing fame, Jesus’ ministry was still a one-man show. This is the point when Jesus entrusts his 12 followers with the authority to do the sort of work he does, and sends them out on the road. Without any kind of fanfare, it’s the birth of the Church.
Email this Print This Page
