A reading from the holy Gospel according to

Mathew 9:36 - 10:8

He summoned his twelve disciples, and sent them out.

When Jesus saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.’

He summoned his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to cast them out and to cure all kinds of diseases and sickness.

These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, the one who was to betray him. These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them as follows:

‘Do not turn your steps to pagan territory, and do not enter any Samaritan town; go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. And as you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils. You received without charge, give without charge.’

Gospel Reflection

The portrait of Jesus that is painted by the gospel of Matthew is as the one who has come to fulfil the Jewish tradition. This is sometimes incorrectly interpreted as being anti-Jewish but that is not the case at all. The community for whom Matthew was writing were Jewish Christians and they saw the pathway taught by Jesus as the best way to live out the Jewish tradition. It is in this context that today’s gospel passage must be considered. The way the commissioning of the Twelve begins is very significant: ‘When Jesus saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd.’ This is the gospel writer describing the people of Israel as a whole – harassed and dejected and without a shepherd. For the Matthew community, Jesus was that shepherd the Jews needed. But Jesus also knew that one person alone could not bring about the change within Judaism that was required. He chose the Twelve and named them as apostles (those who are sent) to continue the work that he had begun.

The gospel writer describes Jesus as giving the apostles ‘authority’ over unclean spirits. For the Matthew community, authority was a defining question. They had recently been expelled from the Jewish synagogues and the authority of Jesus had been called into doubt. Yet, for this community, real authority lay with Jesus and those whom he sent out to do his work. Throughout this gospel, Jesus is described as exhibiting ‘authority’ so as to reaffirm to the original community that they were right in choosing to follow the way of Jesus and not bend to the authority of the Jewish leaders who were oppressing them.

Scriptural context – The House of Israel

The gospel passage has Jesus telling his newly commissioned apostles to go only to the House of Israel, not to go to Samaritans or into pagan territory; the ministry of the apostles is only to be addressed to Jews. But this is the first part of a two-phase ministry. At the conclusion of the gospel, the Risen Jesus directs his followers to ‘make disciples of all the nations’. For the Matthew community, (unlike the community of Luke) it was the House of Israel that needed renewal first before the message of Jesus could be taken to gentile and pagan communities.

Have you thought? – The labourers are few

This passage is often used as the basis for sermons, conversations or even marketing about vocations – vocations to religious life as well as lay vocations. The image of a rich harvest with not enough labourers to reap the harvest is a powerful one. In the Western world in particular today it is very true of priestly and religious vocations. However, it is equally true of lay vocations. Too few people are prepared to ‘own’ their faith and live the message of the gospel in their day to day work and interactions with others. In what way are you a labourer in the harvest?

Living the Gospel – Apostles, not disciples

There is a lovely distinction in this gospel passage between disciples and apostles. Jesus calls his twelve disciples, commissions them and sends them out to continue his work. From then on, they are referred to as ‘apostles’. Disciples are followers, but apostles have been sent out. In our own lives we are called to accept the challenge of being apostles, not disciples. For we are not just followers, we have been sent out by Jesus to continue his work. To be a disciple is just the first step. Disciples follow a path; apostles take the initiative and forge their own path.

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