Gospel: Mark 6:7-13

At that time Jesus called the Twelve and began to send them out two by two, giving them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them not to take anything for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; but to wear sandals and a single tunic. And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that place. If any place will not receive you or listen to you, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them.” So they went out and preached that people should repent; they cast out many demons, and anointed many sick with oil and healed them.

Fruit: To be an apostle with my testimony of Christian life

Guidelines for reflection:
This passage invites us to reflect on the mystery of the Church. The Church has been established on the foundation of the apostles as a community of faith, hope, and charity. Through the apostles, we are connected to Jesus himself.

1. The first mission of the Twelve
Jesus Christ has been preaching in Judea and Galilee for a few months. A group of disciples and followers has been forming, and the Master has chosen twelve of them as apostles. He speaks with them intimately, explains the parables, listens to them, and teaches them. The time has come to send them out to preach. This is the first mission of the apostles, a preliminary megamission to prepare the way for Jesus’ preaching. The Master explains in detail what they should do. He does not ask them to deliver grand theological sermons, nor to speak in such a way that leaves their listeners in awe. They simply need to announce peace (“Peace be to this house”) and teach that the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Love (with a capital “K” and “L”), is near. With this task, and with trust in the Lord, the apostles set out to visit nearby towns and villages.

2. The power of being sent
Where does their strength lie, the effectiveness of their action? In being sent by Someone. They do not proclaim their own message but the message of Another. That is where the strength of the Christian lies when preaching to others. It is not about me, wanting to impress others with my wonderful ideas; it is about me wanting to transmit to others the greatness of God, the wonder of God, the experience of feeling loved by God. Remember that this preaching is not exclusive to evangelization missions. We preach by our example when we attend Mass as a family, when we comfort a friend in need. We preach by our example when we share the joy of living, optimism in difficult situations, the desire to love those who feel unloved, the enthusiasm for “doing good without looking at whom.”

3. The fruits of trust
The twelve apostles went out to preach through the roads and towns. The Gospel tells us they returned full of joy, happy to see the fruits of their mission. It is a common experience for those involved in evangelization: three or four days of preaching, mission work, days of effort, fatigue, sacrifice, but days that fill our hearts with joy and satisfaction—the joy that only God can give. Let us make our lives a continuous mission: a mission in the family, being the piece that unites and encourages family life. A mission at work, with honesty, professionalism, and a love for well-done things. A mission among friends and acquaintances, with our optimism about life, our testimony as joyful, enthusiastic Christians, faithful to the values of the Gospel and the Church.

Purpose: During this day, I will be an apostle among my family, friends, and colleagues, by the example of my Christian joy.