The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to examine the priorities in our journey in the light of the mission instructions of Jesus to His disciples.
The reading from the First Book of Kings is David’s instruction to Solomon prior to the death of David.
In the response from the First Book of Chronicles, David offers Praise to God.
In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus describes the Mission of the Twelve.
* [6:7–13] The preparation for the mission of the Twelve is seen in the call (1) of the first disciples to be fishers of men (Mk 1:16–20), (2) then of the Twelve set apart to be with Jesus and to receive authority to preach and expel demons (Mk 3:13–19). Now they are given the specific mission to exercise that authority in word and power as representatives of Jesus during the time of their formation.
* [6:8–9] In Mark the use of a walking stick (Mk 6:8) and sandals (Mk 6:9) is permitted, but not in Mt 10:10 nor in Lk 10:4. Mark does not mention any prohibition to visit pagan territory and to enter Samaritan towns. These differences indicate a certain adaptation to conditions in and outside of Palestine and suggest in Mark’s account a later activity in the church. For the rest, Jesus required of his apostles a total dependence on God for food and shelter; cf. Mk 6:35–44; 8:1–9.
* [6:10–11] Remaining in the same house as a guest (Mk 6:10) rather than moving to another offering greater comfort avoided any impression of seeking advantage for oneself and prevented dishonor to one’s host. Shaking the dust off one’s feet served as testimony against those who rejected the call to repentance.
* [6:13] Anointed with oil…cured them: a common medicinal remedy, but seen here as a vehicle of divine power for healing. (Mark, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB, n.d.)
Nicholas Santos, S.J. (2022) shares an experience of abandoning himself to God’s care.
I was sent to a remote tribal village in the northern part of the state that I grew up in. The people in that village spoke a dialect of the state language but I could not understand it. And, neither could they understand my rendering of the state language. So, it was two weeks of communicating through the language of love and signs. But these two weeks were two of the most beautiful weeks of my life. The family I was staying with did not have much. They had a small plot of land and a small house. I slept with the menfolk under the tree at night while the women, children, and animals slept inside the little mud house. There was no attached bath or toilet. We bathed in the nearby river and went to the fields for our toilet needs. For those two weeks, I abandoned myself totally to the care of my hosts and in doing so, I experienced the love and care of God for me through them.
Those two weeks, though an experiment in the novitiate, continue to shape who I am today, and to reinforce my total trust in God’s care for me. (Santos, 2024)
Don Schwager quotes “Jesus gives them power to heal and cast out evil spirits,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).
"The grace bestowed upon the holy apostles is worthy of all admiration. But the bountifulness of the Giver surpasses all praise and admiration. He gives them, as I said, his own glory. They receive authority over the evil spirits. They reduce to nothing the pride of the devil that was so highly exalted and arrogant. They render ineffectual the demon's wickedness. By the might and efficacy of the Holy Spirit, burning them as if they were on fire, they make the devil come forth with groans and weeping from those whom he had possessed... "He glorified his disciples, therefore, by giving them authority and power over the evil spirits and over sicknesses. Did he honor them without reason and make them famous without any logical cause? How can this be true? It was necessary, most necessary, that they should be able to work miracles, having been publicly appointed ministers of sacred proclamations. By means of their works, they then could convince men that they were the ministers of God and mediators of all beneath the heaven. The apostles then could invite them all to reconciliation and justification by faith and point out the way of salvation and of life that is this justification." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 47) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Mark 6:7-13 comments that Jesus wants us to live in the freedom that he won for us and invites us to participate in the work of advancing his kingdom. We can do that by acting on the authority we’ve received in Baptism.
First, recognize that one way the enemy influences us is by convincing us to believe things that are not true. Take a moment to invite the Lord to reveal any lies that may have entered your mind: “I’m not worthy to be loved” or “I will always be rejected” or “My value is based on what I achieve.” Then, counter these lies by speaking God’s truths. For example, say out loud, “Nothing can separate me from God’s love” (Romans 8:38-39) or “I am worth more than many sparrows” (Luke 12:7). Allow these truths to renew your way of thinking and speaking.
Second, act on the words in today’s Gospel by speaking directly to the “unclean spirits” you think are behind these lies. Whether you are praying for yourself or with someone else, command them in the name of Jesus to leave. Pray with confidence and with an awareness of the authority that Jesus has given you. Know that he is with you every time you call on his name.
“Jesus, help me embrace the authority you have given me.” (Meditation on Mark 6:7-13, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the passage where David is giving advice to Solomon before David dies and the excluded texts that advise Solomon to murder David’s enemies. David may be seen as both a saint or a mafia don and we consider that people are a mixture of good and evil. Friar Jude notes that the Twelve are sent to proclaim the Kingdom in Word and Deed while trusting in the Providence of God.
Brian McLaren describes the deep and compelling attraction of the story of purification. He describes how Jesus directly challenges the purification story.
All the people that Jesus hangs out with and eats with are people who are being scapegoated, people who are being used for somebody else’s purification narrative. These are the people that Jesus humanizes: people such as Zacchaeus, Matthew and his tax collector friends, a leper, or the woman caught in adultery…. If you read that story in chapter 8 of John’s Gospel, notice Jesus’ physical posture. It’s as if he’s using his body to draw attention away from the woman and becomes an interruption to a purification narrative that was heading toward a deadly end. (McLaren, 2023)
We are part of a family story and heritage that interjects behaviors and norms that need testing by the Spirit for their alignment with our mission as followers of Christ.
References
Mark, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved February 1, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/6?7
McLaren, B. D. (2023, October 21). The Purification Story. CAC Daily Meditations. Retrieved February 1, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-purification-story/
Meditation on Mark 6:7-13. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved February 1, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/02/01/886675/
1 Chronicles, CHAPTER 29. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 1, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1chronicles/29?10
1 Kings, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved February 1, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1kings/2?1
Santos, N. (2024, February 1). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved February 1, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/020124.html
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Jesus Gave Them Authority over Sickness and Unclean Spirits. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved February 1, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=feb1
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