2015/07/19 - Homily - 16th ord. Sunday
AFTER HARD WORK, COMFORT
Jesus continues to teach the twelfth how to become his disciples.
They now belong to the school of the good news, good news about what Good desires for his people.
They were sent two by two in order to preach the peace of God, casting the bad spirits away, healing the sick.
All that was made possible through a conversion to Him. But really it was possible for them only after the death and resurrection of Christ, and then they were unpowered by the Holy Spirit which has been given to them on the Pentecost feast.
They were sent for the people of Israel, but further they had learnt that was also meant for other peoples.
For all peoples not only those from Israel, but for all mankind.
What St Paul says with these words, meant something so new, that it was necessary to be emphasized in order to seal it into the mind of the Christians.
After hard work, comfort
After their hard work as missionaries, they were gently invited by their Master to rest.
They had to obey him and go and take some holidays.Nobody could not agree with it.
But at that time, taking time to rest wasn’t a familiar idea for many of them. Jesus taught them how necessary it was.
Through Jesus God the father sends us a message.
We must be careful about the way we spend our time by what it is filled?
By the missionary job as Christians, in the so many fields of our responsibility as parents, as professionals, as members of society and of course of our community, as religious or priest.
Most of the time we have too much to do, so easily under pressure, never having enough time. considering the e-mails time we spend to do it.
Nothing to say when illnesses happen to trouble our ordinary routine.
Often, and not only in the Chinese culture we have been taught how to work.
But perhaps, nobody has taught us how to rest.
Jesus shows us the right way to do it. It is not really like what we can see in the so many drinking or dancing places.
Jesus asks us to be his witnesses into two un-separated ways: as genuine missionaries working hard for the coming of his kingdom and also as ones even avoiding people expecting our help.
I remember how as a kid, on Sunday afternoons my mother used to rest for a while, but my brother and me we were able to go to her room asking her to prepare something to eat. Unconscious childhood.
The prophet’s work is that too: to make us realize what it is the right time for working and the right one for resting, for scheming and managing our lives in a way that can please Him.
The warning about the bad shepherd is clear: the leader should be the one guiding with his strength.
But often we can hear Jesus saying with compassion that the people were coming like sheep without a shepherd. Thus he started again to teach them for a long time.
To manage to find time for resting is necessary, but just for what is necessary to rise again and continue to be in touch of those who need to listen to the good news of the kingdom of God.
So let‘s pray God that even when we are enjoying a legitimate vacation He keeps our hearts open to the needs of our human brothers and sisters.
