Today,
the Gospel shows us Jesus sending his Apostles on mission: «Jesus
sent these twelve on mission with these instructions...» (Mt
10:5). The twelve make up the “Apostolic College”, that
is “missionaries”. For the Church, in its earthly
pilgrimage, is a Missionary Community, as its origin lies in the
fulfillment of the mission of the Son and the Holy Spirit, after the
God Father's divine intentions. In the same way as Peter and the
other Apostles, by institution of our Lord, constituted a single
Apostolic College, the Roman Pontiff, Peter's successor, and the
Bishops, successors of the Apostles, form a body which the duty to
announce the Gospel everywhere, falls upon.
Among the disciples
sent on mission we find those with an outstanding position, given by
Christ, and a bigger responsibility, such as Peter; and others, as
Thaddaeus, whom we practically know nothing about; however, the
Gospels, which communicate us the Good News, were not intended to
satisfy our curiosity. On our side, we are supposed to pray for all
the bishops, for the famous and for the not so famous ones, while
living in communion with them: «See that you all follow the
bishop as Jesus Christ follows the Father and the presbytery as you
would the apostles...» (St. Ignatious of Antioch). Jesus was
not looking for cultivated persons, but simply for available ones,
willing and able to follow him to the end. This teaches me that, as a
Christian, I must also feel responsible of a part of Jesus' plan of
salvation. Do I keep away from evil? Do I help my fellow-men?
As
their mission was just beginning, Jesus hurries up to give them
instructions with some limitations: «Do not visit pagan
territory and do not enter a Samaritan town. Go instead to the lost
sheep of the people of Israel. Go and proclaim this message: ‘The
kingdom of heaven is near’» (Mt 10:5-6). Today we
must do what we can, with the certainty that God will call all pagans
and Samaritans in another phase of the missionary work.
