OT XV [B] (Am 7:12-15, Eph 1:3-14, Mk 6:7-13)

The fourth judge of the Israelites in the 12th century B.C. was Gideon. One day, the angel of the Lord came to meet Gideon with specific instructions for a raid on the Midianites who were the controlling force in the land, fielding a unique and fast-moving camel battalion. They forcefully reaped all the grain of the Israelites during the harvest season for seven years. Gideon protested to the angel that his clan, Manasseh, was the weakest in the nation. But God assured Gideon, “I will be with you, and you shall strike down the Midianites, every one of them" . Gideon asked for a sign from God and God graciously gave it to convince Gideon that it was God who was sending him to fight, and it was God who would be fighting for him.  In Judges 7:2-11 God gave additional instruction to Gideon and asked him to send home those soldiers who were afraid to fight a strong and big army. That reduced the number of soldiers in Gideon’s army from 32,000 to 10,000. But it was still too many in God’s sight. God further instructed Gideon to conduct a water-drinking test in the river. The test eliminated 9700 more soldiers, leaving behind only 300 soldiers of God’s selection.  The story of Gideon's calling was about strategy: "Go in My strength." The Midianites had a force of 135,000 men with them when they invaded Israel in the 8th harvest season.  But Gideon trusted in the strength of the Lord and defeated and destroyed the mighty army of the Midianites by his surprise midnight attack with just 300 soldiers.  Today’s Gospel tells us how Jesus selected and delegated twelve ordinary men for his preaching and healing ministry. They were to go in the power and strength of God, trusting in him and persevering in their mission.

In today’s Gospel the evangelist tells the story of Jesus' commissioning of the twelve apostles for their first missionary journey. They are to preach the “Good News” of repentance, forgiveness of sins, liberation and salvation through Jesus.  Just as God sent the prophet Amos to preach repentance to ancient Israel and St. Paul to preach the Good News of salvation to the Gentiles, so Jesus sends forth his followers to proclaim the Good News of God’s Kingdom and to bring healing to those who need it most.

Jesus told them to preach repentance. To repent means to change one's mind and then to fit one's actions to this change. Repentance always involves some change in values, and a willingness to leave behind values and attitudes that may be inconsistent with living in a relationship with God. There are also times when restitution may be necessary.

 Festo Kivengere (former Anglican Archbishop of Kigezi, Uganda), told a story about his uncle. He said, "My uncle, the chief, was sitting in court one day with his courtiers around him when a man came and bowed in the African way. He was rich in cattle and was well known as a man who sought God through the spirits of dead relatives. He had come with eight cows which he left some twenty yards away.

'I have come for a purpose, sir,' the man said.

'What are those cows for?' asked the chief.

'Sir, they are yours.'

'What do you mean they are mine?'

'They are yours. When I was looking after your cattle, I stole four and now they are eight, and I am bringing them.'

'Who arrested you?'

'Jesus arrested me, sir, and here are your cows.'

There was no laughter, only a shocked silence. My uncle could see this man was at peace with himself and rejoicing.

'You can put me in prison or beat me up,' the man said, 'but I am liberated. Jesus came my way and I am a free human being.'

'Well, if God has done that for you, who am I to put you in prison? You go home.'

A few days later, having heard the news, I went to see my uncle. I said to him, 'Uncle, I hear you got eight free cows!'

'Yes, it's true,' he said.

'You must be happy.'

'Forget it! Since that man came, I can't sleep. If I want the peace he has, I would have to return a hundred cows!'"

Repentance implies a change from the undesirable habits. Abstinence alone isn't enough to hold us when it comes to dropping an old habit. We need to find a new focus that's more enticing, more compelling than the old habit, to shift interest and energy to a new way of living.

As disciples, we have to follow Jesus and imitate Jesus.  As apostles, we have to evangelize the world.  We are called to share with others not just words, or ideas, or doctrines but an experience, our experience of God and His Son, Jesus. Like the apostles, like St. Francis Assisi, like Blessed Mother Teresa, we are all chosen and sent to proclaim the Gospel through our living. 

Statistics tell us that most people who come to join a Church do so because a friend or relative brought them. So the best advertisement for any Church is the number of the faithful – men, women, and children, whose daily lives show forth some of the radiance of the Gospel. We will be starting our RCIA classes in two months. In these coming two months we need to reach out to somebody we think would need to accept the faith. If I think our faith matters to me, it gives orientation and meaning to my life, I should reach out to others and ask them to accept what I appreciate in my life. If we don’t appreciate our faith, better don’t ask them to accept something that we ourselves don’t really value. Not always we may get a positive response, but Jesus tells us not to be discouraged. Because we are doing this not for ourselves, but for him. So, he will take care of it and we can just dust the feet off our feet and move on.

The instructions Jesus gave to his Apostles can be summed up in two words: trust and perseverance.  They must not give up even when they face opposition, persecution, and a cold welcome. How much of persecution and inconvenience or unwelcome attitude am I willing to accept for the sake of spreading the gospel these coming months?