Jesus calls the Twelve to be with Him

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Daily Readings: Genesis 2:18-24, Hebrews 2:9-11 & Mark 10: 2 – 16

Reflection Date: October 3, 2021

Vocation in itself is a mystery. Jesus called ordinary persons to be His Apostles. Surely, while choosing He looked into the heart of the persons. After having chosen His Apostles, Jesus gave His twelve disciples the power and authority over unclean spirits to drive them out of the possessed and heal all kinds of diseases.

It was a command of their Master and Lord, given compassionately, to bring solace and hope into the people's lives when executed.

Certainly, a question may arise in our mind: who are these apostles? They were certainly not the great ones of this world – the well-qualified professionals or the best ones of the society. Instead, they were just ordinary, simple people, most of them even uneducated.

Yet, Jesus transformed them all in the course of time and space. They were filled with the wisdom of God. They were ready to face the challenges of life, daring to face any powers of this world and willing to lay down their life in spreading the Good News of Jesus, their Master and Lord.

What about us? We, too, are just the same ordinary, simple and sinful people whom the Lord has chosen to continue His same mission of healing, preaching and spreading of the Kingdom of God. Jesus had transformed His disciples and empowered them with His power and authority. He continually does the same with us, too, even in these modern times. We need to believe in this and be willing to be transformed and then to spread His kingdom by proclaiming the Good News and healing all kinds of infirmities.

Joseph Cardozo SJ | Contributor