Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and every sickness. Matthew 9: 36 – 10: 8
One does not have to look very strenuously to discover just how closely the Church’s liturgical calendar is aligned with the seasonal cycle of the Northern Hemisphere and the history of the spread of Christianity across the continent of Europe. For instance, the season of Lent, a period of prayer, repentance and reflection during which we prepare to commemorate the passion and death of Jesus and celebrate his Easter Resurrection, derives its name from the Old-English word Lenten, meaning Springtime. Near the end of Lent, brilliant daffodils poke their heads up from frigid lawns and icy flower beds. By Easter, towns and villages across the Northern Hemisphere are awash with Spring blossoms to match the gift of Resurrection.
Of interest is the fact that the month of June, which marks the start of Summer in Europe and North America, derives its name from the Roman goddess Juno, who was the Romam queen of the gods and whose name is closely associated with the concepts of vitality, femininity and happiness. The start of Summer in the Northern Hemisphere marks the beginning of the holiday season and the celebration of graduation from High School and University for tens of thousands of students. Moreover, June is the month in which the Catholic Church celebrates many prominent saints: Peter and Paul, John the Baptist, St Anthony of Padua, St Thomas More and St Boniface, patron saint of Germany and beer brewers. Throughout the days of Summer, villages and towns across Europe celebrate their favourite saints whom they have come to cherish because they lived holy lives in those very places.
In today’s gospel-reading, we hear Matthew’s account of how Jesus announced the names of the twelve unlikely candidates he had selected to assist him in his mission. By choosing twelve assistants, he was probably signalling to a people for whom numbers seemed to have special significance that he was ushering in a way of doing things that was different from the worn-out customs born of the twelve tribes of Israel. Perhaps he was hinting that there might be a new way of living life, no longer dependent on meaningless traditions and myths or practices that had lost their life and were now devoid of nourishment. Jesus was moved by the plight of the people with whom he was engaging every single day: “When Jesus saw the crowds, he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9: 36) (In this context, we might stop to recall how frequently the numbers three, seven, twelve and forty are mentioned in the books of both the Old and New Testaments.)
Jesus was on the verge of moving beyond words. He was going to take action with the help of a very unlikely lot, whom he would have to convince of their ability to contribute something worthwhile. So, he “authorised” them, not in the sense of giving them permission but by empowering them, sharing with them the gifts God had given him: the Spirit and the ability to “cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers and cast out devils” (Matthew 10: 8).
Jesus put them to action immediately, commissioning them to learn by doing and reminding them that the job to be done required willing helpers: “The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest,” (Matthew 9: 37)
There was nothing grand or spectacular about the announcement of the twelve apostles. It looked very much like a quiet, private gathering. It was nothing like the hype that we are witnessing this very week as football teams are being announced to participate in the World Cup. Jesus’ twelve were more like misfits than polished professionals. Even though we will hear them announced next weekend, we will have forgotten most of their names by the end of our parish Mass.
Of course, we all remember Peter – probably a capable, hard-working fisherman, but intellectually as thick as two short planks. He couldn’t grasp Jesus’ parables but had enough faith to identify Jesus as the Messiah, but one who would restore Israel to power, wealth and glory, thereby earning from Jesus a reprimand that equated him with Satan. And he ended up denying Jesus in his darkest hour, not once but three times. Then, there were the ambitious James and John who hungered after glory and fame. Their rhetoric was good but one went missing when the going was tough. And what of Matthew? He worked for gentile, Roman invaders, gouging money for them out of his fellow citizens. As such, he was excluded from Temple worship. Apart from Judas, how many others of the twelve can we name in less than thirty seconds? And how many Cathedrals across the world are dedicated to the memory of Thaddeus, Philip, Bartholomew and James, the son of Alphaeus? Hardly any! Why might Jesus have chosen these twelve? Firstly, I suggest, because they were low on talent and, consequently, would not have even thought of taking credit for the role Jesus had entrusted to them. All that was expected of them was that they do their best and leave the rest to the Holy Spirit Jesus would send them at Pentecost. What’s more, none of us who sees herself/himself as a modern-day disciple or apostle can claim that we are unsuitable. We are all as inept and unqualified for discipleship as those twelve very ordinary men. So, there is no room for excuses on our part. And let’s not forget that the very last person to identify himself as a disciple of Jesus was the man we now call “the good thief” crucified beside Jesus on Calvary.
And to me the Lord said: “go!” And I said: “Do I have to?”
And he said: “Do you love me?” And I said: “Look I’m scared. People are going to hate me, and cut me into little pieces, and I can’t take it all by myself.”
And he said: “Where do you think I’ll be?”
And the Lord said: “Go!”
And I sighed: “Here I am…send me.”