Friday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
Simon, James, John, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James, Thaddeus, Simon, and Judas; what do they all have in common? They are just ordinary guys. That, and Jesus summoned them on the mountain. In
today’s Gospel, Jesus goes up the mountain and names these men as his apostles. Up and down the ages, God has called ordinary people to faithful purpose. People like you and me. Can you imagine the internal wrestling for the disciples in this moment? My guess is that you can probably relate to the following mental commentary: “Who am I? I’m not anyone special. In fact, I’m pretty average. How could God use anyone like me?” God is extraordinary and uses us to accomplish great things in our world.
He called these disciples to follow him and then sent them out. We may have our doubts but God qualifies us for this mission, not the other way around. Jesus summoned “those whom he wanted.” You are wanted. Each of us is called by name. In Christ, we find our deepest significance and personal worth. We are ordinary people, with families, jobs, and responsibilities. Each of us has the power of love and kindness, the power to act, the power to be compassionate and merciful. “Kindness and truth shall meet, justice and peace shall kiss. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven” (Ps 85:11-12). This is a promise of great hope and beauty. It is easy to identify and cry out at the lack of justice in the world; the inconsistencies are evident. We can find example after example of harmful discrimination, systemic racism, social dysfunction, lack of care for God’s creation, abuse of people and animals. We likely have our own personal experience with injustice. We are surrounded by and immersed in the effects of injustice. The human repercussions of injustice are visible, but our relationship with God is what really suffers.
Our gospel verse today states, “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” What is Christ calling me to at this moment? In what ways am I bringing Christ to the world? Am I prepared to say yes? God sent the apostles to “preach and drive out demons”. God wants to restore our hearts and fill us with grace and mercy.
With our readings today, I can’t help but think of the beautiful poem attributed to St. Teresa of Avila:
Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which He looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which He walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which He blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are His body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.
We are ordinary people; God calls us to be extraordinary. Justice and peace shall kiss and Christ has called us forth to be the body, the hands, the feet.
Peace,
Brandon Meyer