Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

07-15-2018Weekly Reflection©2018 Liturgical Publications, Inc.

"He summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two." This Sunday we read the first sending of the Apostles to preach, teach, and heal. For many of us, it can be easy to think we "just don't have enough" to be disciples and evangelists ourselves. We don't have enough education and training. We don't have enough experience talking to people about Jesus. We don't pray enough. We don't have enough faith.

If you look at the Apostles in today's Gospel reading, they didn't have much either. "No food, no sack, no money in their belts." They didn't plan out their itinerary or book their lodging in advance. From what we know of the Apostles, they were not the religiously trained and educated ones. They were fisherman, tax collectors, and political activists. But what does being a fisherman require? Someone like Peter needed a strong work ethic to rise at strange hours. He needed patient calm to wait for the catch. Once ashore, he needed a savvy mind to fetch a good price for his labors. As Peter became a fisher of men, he would need the diligence to persevere through the hard journeys, long days, and persecution that awaited him. He would need patient calm with those who disagreed with him. As the leader of the Apostles, he would need a savvy mind to navigate challenges facing the early Church. From one perspective, Peter has nothing to offer the mission of Jesus. Thinking more creatively, one can see that -- joined with faith and love -- perhaps Peter had everything he needed.

Jesus sends you as well. As you take stock of your own talents, consider how they might be offered as a gift to others. Maybe you already have more than enough.

El llamado es esencial, la misión es urgente. Incluso debemos ir ligeros de carga, lo más livianos posible. El mismo Jesús da una lista de las cosas necesarias. "Les ordenó que no llevaran nada para el camino, fuera de un bastón ni pan, ni morral, ni dinero; que llevaran calzado corriente y un solo manto". (Mc. 6:8-9). ¡Qué barbaridad, diríamos ahora, por tan pocas cosas! La sociedad de hoy obliga, sobre todo a los jóvenes, a obtener cosas innecesarias para cualquier viaje. Cargan tanto, que hasta se lastiman el cuerpo, llegan al mal humor y, al final, descubren que no necesitaban tanto. Para ser feliz se necesita poco y se requiere abrir el corazón a las necesidades de los demás.

Si cargamos poco podemos admirar lo que existe alrededor, ayudar a los necesitados, descansar y realizar la misión que Jesús nos ha encomendado. Las personas lo experimentan cuando reciben una llamada por teléfono, si es urgente responden de inmediato. Escuchan y actúan. De igual manera, los discípulos que Jesús envió actuaron como si hubieran recibido una llamada urgente. ¿Cómo respondes al llamado urgente de Jesús de ayudar al necesitado? ¿Te haces el que no escucha y sigues sin actuar? El Evangelio es de gran ayuda para dos cosas. Primero, para escuchar que Jesús nos envía a cumplir una misión. Segundo, para que nos demos cuenta de que es urgente. Tan urgente es, que no necesitamos mucho para ir. Basta con tener un buen espíritu, y donde no reciban al enviado, hay que sacudirse el polvo de los zapatos y seguir adelante. ¡Así de sencillo!