Arulvakku

03.02.11 JESUS JOURNEY

 He summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits.  He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick — no food, no sack, no money in their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic.  He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there. Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them." So they went off and preached repentance. They drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them. (Mk 6:7-13)

 

 

Jesus came with a mission: To proclaim the kingdom of God and work for the realization of the kingdom. He did not keep it as his personal mission rather he called his disciples to do the very same things which he was doing. He shared his authority over evil spirits. He shared with his disciples all what he had.

 

His instructions were totally mission oriented. Ushering in the kingdom was not done from a place. He did not expect the people to come to him though many people came where he was. He moved around the villages and towns and he instructed his disciples go about the villages and towns. Mission included a journey. And that is the reason the instructions were all pertaining to journey.

 

When the disciples were not received in a place they were instructed by Jesus to leave the place. There is no time to coax, to convince or argue with the people. Leave them and move on to a place where the people were more receptive. The disciples were asked to shake off even the dust in a sense not to carry with them anything of that place. (not to be worried, not to be anxious about the failure etc). Yes, shake off even the dust.