Please place your name on this line _______________________
Matthew 10:6-8
“Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”
What I think Christ is trying to say is that all of us are not only to give money but also to give mercy to those who are sick. We may not know how to cure them or remove demons but we can give comfort. I will give an example from a cable TV channel that my wife and I watch in the United States.
The program is “Flip or Flop” and features houses in disrepair which the host remodel. The host’s name of this show is Tarek El Moussa. One of the show’s viewers, a nurse was watching the show and noticed a suspicious bulge on his neck. She immediately contacted the show and the result was that Mr El Moussa was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. The nurse went beyond herself to give. Without cost she gave of herself to a stranger who needed curing.
In the Cursillo renewal movement there is a talk given on the second day of the retreat. The talk asks the question, “Who is the Church?”, and answers the question by saying “We are the Church”. It is one of many talks but the message is clear. We not only have priests who are commissioned by Christ. We have the responsibility and commission to do the same work but in a different way. Christ’s word speaks to all of us.
Go back and re-read the above scripture including your name. ……. Those lost sheep are all around us. They are our friends, family and co-workers. We need to encourage and support them in their time of need.
Isaiah 30:21 says: And your ears shall hear a word behind you: “This is the way; walk in it,” when you would turn to the right or the left. and then in Isaiah 30:26 says… On the day the LORD binds up the wounds of his people and heals the bruises left by his blows.
This week it just so happens that I changed days off. One of my friends from Church lost his mother last Friday December 1st. My personal schedule was free so I could attend the wake and funeral Mass. The voice in my ears said go. I went. The important thing is that I followed the voice to go. Our psalm today reinforces this. Psalm 147:2-4 The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem, and gathers the dispersed of Israel, Healing the brokenhearted, and binding up their wounds. He numbers the stars, and gives to all of them their names.
We are commissioned to act. We know people everyday who may not be deserving in our minds but who need to be given the mercy of our prayers and encouragement to cure their spiritual and physical needs. Today’s message seems so clear. We are the Church and without cost we must give mercy to the lost sheep of this world.
We were given mercy and it is now our turn to give.
God Bless
Bob Burford
