the ecology of mission
"They expelled many demons, anointed the sick with oil, and worked many cures." —Mark 6:13
Today we don't seem to be getting the same results as Jesus' first followers did. Demons aren't always expelled, and cures don't seem as numerous as in Jesus' time. Maybe our results are different because we're not following Jesus' instructions.
- Are we going out to tell the good news of the kingdom?
- Are we going out "two by two"? (Mk 6:7)
- Have we taken "nothing on the journey"? (Mk 6:12) Do we "have neither silver nor gold"? (Acts 3:6)
- Are we "preaching the need of repentance"? (Mk 6:12)
Signs and wonders accompany the proclamation of God's word when we do it the way the Lord has commanded (Mk 16:17-18). Healings don't exist in a vacuum but are part of the work of evangelization. Evangelizing is intimately related to Christian community, a simple lifestyle, and repentance. There's a spiritual ecology to the mission the Lord has given us. We must respect all the elements of this ecology to have the spiritual power promised us in God's word.
Prayer: Jesus, as You promised, may I do works greater by far than the ones You did (Jn 14:12).
Promise: "You have drawn near to Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to myriads of angels in festal gathering, to the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven, to God the Judge of all." —Heb 12:22-23
Praise: St. Agatha, the patron for diseases of the breast, was exposed to much evil and suffering because of her love for Jesus, but out of all of these, she was delivered (see Ps 34:20).
Reference: (For related teaching, order our leaflet, The Challenge of Making Disciples in a Culture of Death, or on audio AV 97-1 and AV 97-3 or on video V-97.)
Rescript: †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, August 11, 2008
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