1st Week of Advent, Saturday – 3rd December 2022 — Gospel: Mt 9,35-10,1.5-8
Commissioned to build His Kingdom
Saint Francis Xavier, an apostle mad with Saint Paul’s madness, is a marvelous example of a great missionary, visionary and a prophet. The zeal he displayed, the novel methods he used, the wonderful miracles he performed, and the great number of souls he brought to the light of true faith, entitle him to this distinction. In a short span of ten years (1542-1552), he visited so many countries in South Asian region (India, Sri Lanka, Malacca and the Maluku Islands, Japan and China), traversed so many seas, preached the Gospel to so many nations, and converted so many peoples. He stands unique in his apostolic zeal since the time of the Apostles.
The summary of Jesus’ authoritative words and his authoritative deeds (9,35) prepare Jesus’ disciples to increasingly share in His mission (Mt 10). Jesus’ words proclaimed the kingdom and his deeds actualized the kingdom. The time for gathering God’s people into that kingdom has arrived, but there is a shortage of labourers. This need to mobilize workers for the harvest leads Jesus to commission the twelve disciples. The instructions to the twelve are twofold: the ministry of the Word demonstrated by the ministry of the deed. The disciples must proclaim the message that Jesus announced: “The kingdom of heaven has come near”; and they must do the deeds that Jesus performed: “Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons”. In this the apostles’ mission is directed to the “the lost sheep” of Israel in Jesus’ time and to “all the nations” after His resurrection.
