The Gospel according to Matthew (10:17-22)
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts
and scourge you in their synagogues,
and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake
as a witness before them and the pagans.
When they hand you over,
do not worry about how you are to speak
or what you are to say.
You will be given at that moment what you are to say.
For it will not be you who speak
but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Brother will hand over brother to death,
and the father his child;
children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but whoever endures to the end will be saved.”
Reflection:
At this point in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus had just commissioned the twelve apostles to go out and preach, teach, heal, and cast out demons. He knew this would be a challenging and dangerous mission. He is now warning them to be careful but also assuring them that they will be provided with the assistance of the Spirit of their Father. In other words, they would be the messengers, but God would provide the message.
Today we celebrate the feast of Saint Stephen who is recognized as the first martyr of our church. Stephen was one of the seven men selected to serve their community as deacons. I would imagine that Stephen may have questioned his abilities to contribute to God’s mission. This made me think of when I started to hear the call to the diaconate. I thought, who, me!? Now way! I am not deacon material!
We all doubt our abilities, qualifications, and worth when it comes to representing God. We also question how much we are willing to sacrifice for the sake of God’s kingdom. All reasonable questions and concerns. But our doubt is with ourselves. We, like the twelve apostles and Stephen, do not work in the vineyard alone. We are the body of Christ. We each have our own unique gifts and way of communicating the Good News. God created us with these abilities so that when we cooperate with his grace we too can participate in the miracles of evangelization.
God provides, He always does. When we doubt ourselves rely on the faith that Emmanuel is here.
Action of the day:
Pray today for the courage to serve God in places and with people who although may resist are hungry for the compassion, mercy, and love we find in Christ Jesus. We don’t have to be direct or imposing. Just be Christ for them so they can see the Christ in you. And, as always, the Spirit of God will provide you with the grace and the words to make his presence known.
Audio Reflection:
Link to Website: https://deacon5.com/