Saint Rita Catholic Church and School in Webster, NY - An Introduction to Sunday's Scripture Readings

“He Summoned His Twelve Disciples And Gave Them Authority Over Unclean Spirits”

In our first reading (Exodus 19:2-6), we hear of Moses ascending Mount Sinai while the twelve tribes of Israelites were camped at the base of the mountain. God gave Moses a message for the Israelites, declaring their status as God’s chosen people, to lead others to worship God: “Therefore, if you hearken to my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my special possession, dearer to me than all other people, though all the earth is mine. You shall be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.”

In our Epistle reading (Romans 5:6-11), St. Paul reminds us that “God proves His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” And now that we are reconciled to God through the death of His Son, “how much more, once reconciled, will we be saved by His life.“

In our Gospel reading (Matthew 9:36 - 10:8), Jesus was moved with pity at the sight of the crowds “troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.” Jesus then declared God’s need for laborers to be sent into the field to harvest souls. Jesus “summoned the twelve and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness.” Jesus did not send them out to the ends of the earth (that would come later) but first to the “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” to proclaim “The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

There is a unity between our first reading of the twelve tribes of Israel encamped at the foot of Mount Sinai and the twelve apostles, chosen by Christ, now being sent out as the new shepherds to the lost sheep of Israel. Like the Israelites of old, the apostles are the new patriarchs of the “kingdom of priests, a holy nation”. We, the followers of Christ, are also part of this kingdom of priests. Our mission, like the apostles and the Israelites at Mount Sinai, is to lead others to worship God. We do this first by our example and witness, but also by having the courage to speak God’s truth to all who will listen.

bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/061426.cfm