September 24: Working His Wonders / Haciendo Sus Maravillas

“Jesus called the Twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money – not even an extra tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there, and leave from there. Wherever they do not welcome you, as you are leaving that town shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” They departed and went through the villages, bringing the good news and curing diseases everywhere.” Luke 9, 1-6

In the fifth century, St John Chrysostom wrote: “Christ had the power to set the human race free from all evils—not only the Roman occupiers.... He succeeded in doing this with no force of arms, nor expenditure of money, nor by starting wars of conquest, nor by inflaming men to battle. He had only a dozen men to start with, men who were undistinguished, without learning, ill-informed, destitute, poorly clad, without weapons, or sandals, men who had but a single tunic to wear.” 

We, who follow in the footsteps of those Apostles, are called each day to learn the ways of the Lord’s peace and justice, to share from our abundance of goods and blessings, and to give witness to His love for all people. We might still be “undistinguished, without learning, ill-informed, destitute, and poorly clad,” but it is the Lord who has called us to follow Him – and look at the wonders He has worked in us already and the wonders He has worked in those who have gone before us!

***

La Iglesia entera está en misión. Debemos dejar atrás el equipaje de nuestros designios y de los grandes medios. En vez de eso, vayamos con toda sencillez solo con la Buena Nueva de Jesús. También debemos estar dispuestos a ser rechazados, como nuestro Maestro lo fue.

Somos lo que somos por lo que la Biblia llama la “misericordia” de Dios. Ésta no es solo compasión y perdón, sino también ternura, pena, clemencia, bondad, y fidelidad. la misericordia exige también que nosotros tengamos para los otros esa misma actitud que Dios nos muestra a nosotros.