MK 6:7-13
SAM 8:00AM
SAM = St Augustine Monastery, Nova Scotia, Canada
IN TODAY’S GOSPEL ..MK 6:7-13..we can almost feel the Sense of Urgency...as Our Lord sends out His Apostles 2 X 2. He tells them to take Nothing for the Journey....no wallet, bread, money or staff....wear no sandals....do not put on two tunics.
WHENEVER YOU ENTER A HOUSE...stay there until you leave. Whoever does NOT receive you...go forth from there...&....shake the dust from your feet...as you leave as a WITNESS against them.
Going forth they preached that men should repent...& they cast out many devils, anointed with Oil many sick people...&.... healed them. They had nothing but the power.....&... authority that Christ gave them.
THEY WERE POOR uneducated Fishermen. People could see that..... they were not trying to gain power for themselves, nor were they trying to start a revolution. Nor were they trying to make up their own doctrine. This in itself a PROOF of the DIVINE ORIGIN of the Church. They were TRUE to Christ’s teaching & doctrine.
OUR LORD TELLS THEM that ...”If they will not receive you or hear you...then shake the dust of that town from your feet...in testimony against them.” Faith, True Love of God & Church...&...Sorrow for Sin...these are the things that REALLY MATTER. Our Lord tells His Apostles to get busy with these really important issues. We TOO need to have the same sense of Urgency...& seek those things that are ETERNALLY important for our Souls.
DO NOT LET EXCESSIVE & CONSTANT pursuit...of material things & pleasure , nor un-necessary anxiety....about anything....DISTRACT US from following Christ....as real true believers.... & followers. We all have a purpose. We are all loved by God...& we in turn are supposed to seek God...& Love God with our whole Heart, Soul, & Mind...&....be URGENT about it...NOT lackadaisical, lukewarm, nor cold in our pursuit of Goodness, Virtue....& Love of God & Neighbor.
WE ARE SUPPOSED to TRY to do our best to.....SPREAD THE GOSPEL of Christ...&......Spread the Faith to others with the ZEAL of St Paul. HOW?...by our GOOD EXAMPLE. We need to TRAVEL LIGHT...that is NOT to be overly concerned....&....pre-occupied about ourselves....& material things....that do NOT store up for ourselves Treasures in Heaven!
WHAT SHOULD WE SEEK FIRST in Life? Our Lord tells us....”to SEEK FIRST the Kingdom of God...“do not worry about what you are to Eat...where you will sleep. IF your Heavenly Father takes care of the lilies of the field...& they neither toil nor spin. How much more valuable are you....than all these material things.”
INSTEAD we should RELY ON....&...STORE UP & PURSUE....for ourselves the things that DO MATTER for the Eternal Life of Heaven.....namely Love of God...Sorrow for Sin...True Amendment...a Life of Virtue...Love of the Church, Mass, Prayer & Sacraments.
IN MANY DIFFERENT PARABLES......Our Lord tells us about the Kingdom of Heaven.... which is our very REAL....True...& Lasting Eternal Home. Christ says...”ALL ELSE will pass away..but My Words...MY GOSPEL TRUTH
....WILL NOT PASS AWAY!”
HEAVEN is the PLACE....FOR WHICH...WE ALL WERE CREATED.
AND FOR WHICH....WE MUST ALL STRIVE on our DAILY JOURNEY.
WE ALL NEED.....TO REMEMBER THIS!