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Gospel Reading for December 7, 2024 – Matthew 9:35- 10: 1, 5a, 6-8
NEEDED SO MUCH MORE
Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”
Then he summoned his Twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness.
Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus, “Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”
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When Jesus sent out the twelve to “Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel…” it meant that there are certain priorities in Jesus’ work of salvation. The old saying, “Charity begins at home” applies here. We cannot go looking for people outside our home to convert to Christianity, or people to be reconciled back to God when in our own home, the members of our family are like sheep without a shepherd.
Jesus’ work of salvation did not end when he went back to the Father. It continues today and as baptized Christians, it is our mission to help in his work of salvation, which as we see, is NEEDED SO MUCH MORE today. His work of salvation will end at the Last Judgment.
Lord, give us the wisdom and strength to do our part in your work of salvation!
