DAILY GOSPEL COMMENTARY:
“THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND 2”
(Mt 10:7–15).
Gospel of Thursday, 14th week in Ordinary Time. Mt 10:7–15.
Jesus said to his Apostles: “As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ (8) Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give. Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts; no sack for the journey, or a second tunic, or sandals, or walking stick. The laborer deserves his keep. Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it, and stay there until you leave. As you enter a house, wish it peace. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; if not, let your peace return to you. Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words — go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet. Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.
Gospel Commentary from the Navarre Bible, Commentary to the Gospel of St. Matthew (with permission)
- 7-8 (7) As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”
- Previously, the prophets, when speaking of the messianic times, had used imagery suited to the people’s spiritual immaturity. Now, Jesus, in sending his Apostles to proclaim that the promised Kingdom of God is imminent, lays stress on its spiritual dimension.
- The powers mentioned in v. 8 are the very sign of the Kingdom of God or the reign of the Messiah proclaimed by the prophets.
- At first (chaps. 8 and 9) it is Jesus who exercises these messianic powers; now he gives them to his disciples as proof that his mission is divine (Is 35:5-6; 40:9; 52:7; 6 1:1).
- Previously, the prophets, when speaking of the messianic times, had used imagery suited to the people’s spiritual immaturity. Now, Jesus, in sending his Apostles to proclaim that the promised Kingdom of God is imminent, lays stress on its spiritual dimension.
- 9 “belts”: twin belts, stitched together leaving space where coins and other small, heavy objects could be secreted and carried.
- 9-10 Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts; no sack for the journey, or a second tunic, or sandals, or walking stick. The laborer deserves his keep.
- Jesus urges his disciples to set out on their mission without delay. They should not be worried about material or human equipment: God will make up any shortfall.
- This holy audacity in setting about God’s work is to be found throughout the history of the Church: if Christians had bided their time, waiting until they had the necessary material resources, many, many souls would never have received the light of Christ.
- Once a Christian is clear in his mind about what God wants him to do, he should not stay at home checking to see if he has the wherewithal to do it. “In your apostolic undertakings you are right — it’s your duty — to consider what means the world can offer you (2 + 2 = 4), but don’t forget — ever! — that, fortunately, your calculations must include another term: God + 2 + 2 (St. Josemaria Escrivá, The Way, 471).
- However, that being said, we should not try to force God’s hand, to get him to do something exceptional, when in fact we can meet needs by our own efforts and work. This means that Christians should generously support those who, because they are totally dedicated to the spiritual welfare of their brothers, have no time left over to provide for themselves: […]
- Jesus urges his disciples to set out on their mission without delay. They should not be worried about material or human equipment: God will make up any shortfall.
- 11-15 Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it, and stay there until you leave. As you enter a house, wish it peace. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; if not, let your peace return to you. Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words — go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet. Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.
- “Peace” was, and still is, the normal Jewish form of greeting. On the Apostles’ lips it is meant to have a deeper meaning — to be a sign of God’s blessing which Jesus’ disciples, who are his envoys, pour out on those who receive them.
- The commandment our Lord gives here affects not only this specific mission: it is a kind of prophecy which applies to all times.
- His messenger does not become discouraged if his word is not well received. He knows that God’s blessing is never ineffective (cf. Is 55:11), and that every generous effort a Christian makes will always produce fruit.
- The word spoken in apostolate always brings with it the grace of conversion: “Many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to about five thousand” (Acts 4:4; cf. 10:14; Rom 10:17).
- The commandment our Lord gives here affects not only this specific mission: it is a kind of prophecy which applies to all times.
- Man should listen to this word of the Gospel and believe in it (Acts 13:48; 15:7).
- If he accepts it and stays faithful to it his soul is consoled, he obtains peace (Acts 8:39) and salvation (Acts 11:4-18).
- But if he rejects it, he is not free from blame and God will judge him for shutting out the grace he was offered.
- “Peace” was, and still is, the normal Jewish form of greeting. On the Apostles’ lips it is meant to have a deeper meaning — to be a sign of God’s blessing which Jesus’ disciples, who are his envoys, pour out on those who receive them.
VIDEO COMMENTARY
TOPIC 2: WHEN HARD TIMES COME, DOES YOUR LIFE BECOME BETTER?
Today’s first reading continues with the touching story of Joseph the dreamer. A good part has been omitted from today’s reading but a brief background is given. The speech today is one of the longest in biblical story-telling and Judah, one of the brothers, narrates Jacob’s words of affection for Joseph and Benjamin and the loss of Benjamin leaving him heartbroken again. Judah offers himself as a slave to Joseph in place of Benjamin. Joseph reveals himself. We parallel our lives on Joseph and the personal calamities we experience in life.
TOPIC 2: Who can be considered as one of the modern-day missionary disciples of Jesus??
Before this pandemic, you must have seen a lot of tourists in the country. Many of them are backpackers who travel light. But the first backpackers could have been the disciples of Jesus. He instructed them to travel light – no money, no extra clothes and sandals. “Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts; no sack for the journey, or a second tunic, or sandals, or walking stick.” (Matthew 10:9-10)
Jesus asks His disciples to look for homes that have worthy people and stay with them and wish them peace. The Catholic faith has really become embedded into the Filipino culture, perhaps, because we have welcomed the Catholic faith in our lives when the Spanish missionaries came over 500 years ago.
We are known to be, arguably, the friendliest, most accepting, happiest people in the world and the Spanish colonization, American and Japanese occupations proved that.
Indeed, we welcomed Jesus in our hearts with all the smiles and hospitality we can muster. And now, we have become the generation to travel light and be His disciples to the world. The Filipino diaspora is real. We have more than 10 million Filipinos working and living all over the world – from the most advanced countries to the still developing. From the big cities to the most remote, we have Filipinos there. I was surprised to see a Filipino band playing in the most remote area of South Vietnam. I was surprised to see Filipinos in a number of African countries I went to. My Filipino classmates have resided in Brazil and Peru, as well. In other words, Filipinos are in every nook and cranny of the world – from Siberia to South Africa; from the northernmost point of Canada to southernmost point of Chile.
It is the adaptability and welcoming ways that have endeared Filipinos to the world. It is just natural for God to make us His instruments of bringing the faith to the world. Our missionaries have gone through the most challenging and fulfilling, but sometimes, harrowing experiences as they preached Jesus to the world. But they always carried the demeanor of the apostles – boldness and joy in their hearts. That is why they have been accepted by people of other countries.
The Philippines is in the Pacific Ring of Fire which means that volcanic eruptions are a commonplace. Numerous typhoons have hit the Philippines, with the strongest typhoon to ever hit land recorded in the 2013. Earthquakes have also beset the country and socio-political issues have also been present. But through all these, Filipinos continue to smile and be a welcoming people, trusting in their God that all will be well.
The strength of character, borne out of triumphs from tragedies have made the Filipino smile some more. We have learned as we went on mission that this same warm smile and love that one communicates can thaw hard and stubborn hearts.
Drew Binsky, who has traveled to most countries in the world has produced vlogs on the countries he has gone to. He also ranked the 10 friendliest people in the world in a longer video. One can probably say that on this basis, Filipinos can be considered as the modern-day missionary disciples of Jesus.
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