Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
18th June 2023 (Sunday) Readings and Reflection
Psalter: Week 3
Reading of the Day
First Reading: Exodus 19:2-6a
In those days: The people of Israel set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before the mountain, while Moses went up to God. The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
Psalm 100:1-2, 3, 5 (R. 3c)
R/. We are his people, the sheep of his flock.
Second Reading: Romans 5:6-11
Brethren: While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Alleluia
V/. Alleluia R/. Alleluia
V/. The kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the Gospel.
R/. Alleluia
Gospel : Matthew 9:36-10:8
At that time: When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.” And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.
Daily Gospel Reflection
The Reflection by Fr. Thumma Mariadas Reddy MSFS{alertWarning}
Main Theme: Equipped and sent on a mission!
Indicative: Our mission is the Lord’s and our power is also his. Blessed are they who are aware of this and do everything in the spirit of surrender and loyalty{alertSuccess}
1. It is the Lord’s mission: Today once again, great clarity is given about our mission. First of all, it is the mission of the Lord, and not our personal enterprise or self-made mission. However, this does not go against owning up the mission or assuming personal responsibility.
2. It is a committed mission: A sense of indifference and non-committal outlook is detrimental to the mission. The fact of being sent by the Lord on his own mission would act as a check on various counts: against undue tendencies to privatize and monopolize different ministries; against being puffed up by the successes and accomplishments in the mission, and against seeking self-gratification and self-glory. Instead, it would foster a diligent spirit of stewardship, with a spirit of holy detachment.
3. It is an integral mission: this mission is twofold: to preach and to heal, a mission in word and deed. This indicates that it is an integral and holistic mission, because a true mission would be a matter of example by whole life. Any disintegration or dichotomy between one’s faith and concrete actions would be a clear failure and infidelity to the mission.
4. It is an empowered mission: Further, the Lord does not send us empty-handed but empowers and equips us with his own power. Therefore, there is no need at all to depend at all on worldly securities like “staff, bag, bread, clothes or money”. We have nothing to lack or fear because the Lord’s own power sustains us. As long as God is with us, all the other concerns and pursuits become secondary.
5. It is a never-tiring mission: God is never tired of loving us. He never ceases to invite us to turn and return to Him, to realise and to repent for our obstinacy, mediocrity and infidelity. He feels compassionate and anguished at our situations of sickness, trouble, abandonment and loss of direction and guidance. He wants to illumine and guide us with His teaching.
6. It is a healing mission: He wants to heal us and make us healthy integrally. He wants to expel all the demons and evil forces that possess us, which make us deaf and dumb and which take away our spiritual and fraternal sensitivity and agility. He assures us that He never abandons us and so there is no need to feel abandoned. We need to be the healers and promoters of God’s reign for our times.
7. It is a recuperating mission: “To the lost”: Today, we find an engulfing reign of evil, where prevail unclean spirits, disease and illness, which are not only the physical. This exactly is the situation of being the “lost sheep” that Jesus mentions in the gospel. There is an urgent need to retrace our lost way. to be dispossessed of the evil, to be cleansed of our moral and spiritual sickness.
8. It is a personal mission: This task is entrusted to each one of us, in line with the Twelve. God calls each one by name, so personal and so important in God’s design and work. The fact that the names of the twelve apostles are mentioned indicates that our vocation and mission are very personal and personally significant. It is not only a collective, community mission of the church but also of each disciple.
Imperative: If God has given you broad shoulders, then shoulder his mission with responsibility and fidelity {alertSuccess}