This Sunday (Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A), the Gospel Reading (Matthew 10:37-42) is drawn from the end part of Jesus’ instruction to his twelve disciples in commissioning them to go on mission (Matthew 10:5-42), which we read for the last two Sundays (Matthew 9:36-10:8; Matthew 10:26-33).
As he went through all the towns and villages,
teaching the Good News of the Kingdom and healing every ailments and maladies,
Jesus was deeply moved with compassion as he saw the crowds that looked like
sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:35-36). This prompted him to give his
authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and send them on
mission as “labors of a great harvest” (Matthew 9:37-10:5a).
In sending the disciples on mission, Jesus instructed
them to proclaim the imminence of the Kingdom of Heaven, to heal the sick, and
to raise the dead, cleanse the lepers,
and exorcise, without receiving anything from those whom they serve (Matthew
10:5-9). He also commanded them to search for a person worthy of their visit
and offer this person’s household peace for receiving them hospitably but not
to waste time with anyone unwelcoming (Matthew 10:10-15).
Then, Jesus issued a brutally honest warning of a risk
of being on mission with a metaphor of sheep sent among wolves and commanded
them to handle persecutors (wolves) without making the situation complicated by
being as innocent as doves and as shrewd as serpents (Matthew 10:16). In regard
to the risk of persecution, Jesus called the disciples to stay vigilant against
dangerous people, who would hand them over to persecutors (Matthew 10:17-18).
But Jesus instructed the disciples not to worry even they were arrested,
because the Spirit of the Father, namely the Holy Spirit, would speak through
them (Matthew 10:19-20).
Upon addressing the risk of persecution, Jesus
described how persecution would result in divisions between those who stand
firm with him and those who are against them with his assurance of salvation to
the former (Matthew 10:21-22). As he advised to move on from those who reject
(Matthew 10:14), Jesus told the disciples to flee from a place of persecution
to another, but they would never cover entire Israel on their mission (Matthew
10:23). This means that Jesus warned the disciples that martyrdom was not
something for them to pursue by unnecessarily endangering themselves. That is
why he advised them to be as peaceful as dove and as wise as serpents in
dealing with persecutors (Matthew 10:16b).
Then, Jesus spoke about the humility for being on
mission, not to expected to be treated any better as their master, Jesus, was
treated (Matthew 10:24). So, he called the disciples to be like him (Matthew
10:25a). Then, with a sarcasm, Jesus pointed out that they would face persecution
as their master does, given that he had been accused of being “the prince of
demons” (Matthew 9:34), namely, Beelzebub (i.e. Matthew 12:24), as persecutors
treat the disciples’ master as Beelzebub (Matthew 10:25b).
Having addressed persecution, Jesus emphasized not to
worry three times (Matthew 10:26, 28, 31). First, he said to the disciples not
to worry because God’s truth in Jesus and in what they would show on their
mission would be revealed completely, vindicating their master, Jesus, and his
disciples (Matthew 10:26). So, he commanded them to make what they had learned
from him privately be known boldly without fear (Matthew 10:27). Then, he ordered
them not to be afraid of persecutor, those who would kill the body but do not
kill the soul, but rather fear God, who could kill both the body and the soul
by falling from the state of grace and becoming subject to God’s condemnation,
which is symbolized with “Gehenna” (Matthew 10:28). Then, Jesus, again said not
to be afraid because of God’s providence for the disciples (Matthew 10:29-31).
Then, Jesus said that he would acknowledge those who
acknowledged him with primacy over anyone else, accordingly, before the Father
(Matthew 10:32-33).
Knowing that not everyone would believe in him and
would be able to live a Christ-centered life, Jesus warned that divisions among
people would result: splitting those with him and those not with him (Matthew
10:34-36).
The Gospel Reading of Thirteenth Sunday (Matthew
10:37-42) picks up from here to the end of Jesus’ instruction to the disciples
in sending them on mission. And this passage addresses what it means to be a
true disciple of Christ with two points: the absolute primacy of Christ
(vv.37-39) and the rewards for those who receive those who sent by God to serve
(vv. 40-42).
The discipleship means to follow Christ and serve as
he commands and sends with a firm determination. Thus Jesus makes sure that all
of his twelve disciples do not let their earthly concerns disrupt the committed
discipleship. For this, Jesus first demands detachment from all things that may
compromise commitment. Otherwise, themselves and their families. This is why
Jesus demands them to detach themselves not only from their tendency to be
concerned about their families (v.37) but even their own earthly lives, saying
to take up one’s cross (v.38). And he assures the reward of eternal life for
those who carry their crosses faithfully (v.39).
The cost-reward motif in vv. 37-39 is also reflected
in the following verses (vv.40-42). And this is reflected also in the First
Reading (2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16a) and the previous passage of Jesus’ instruction
(Matthew 10:13-15, 32-33). Jesus
Jesus wants to make sure that his disciples have clear
understanding of what it really means to be his disciples. This is why, in
concluding his instruction in sending them on mission, Jesus speaks on the
disciples in terms of the cost and the reward of making him as their primacy in
life (vv. 37-39) and of the quality of service and response to those who serve
(vv.40-42).
Whoever loves father or mother more than
me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not
worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not
worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life
for my sake will find it (Matthew 10:37-39).
To be his disciple, Jesus, the master, must be the
priority, of one’s life. It means that one has to put Jesus above one’s own
family. And this reflects these words of his, spoken before:
Everyone who acknowledges me before others
I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before
others, I will deny before my heavenly Father (Matthew
10:32-33).
Those who keep Jesus as their primacy can prove this
by carrying their respective crosses in following him and through their martyrdoms.
To those who pays such a cost of the discipleship, Jesus will reward with
eternal life. And this is reward is higher than the reward of being
acknowledged by Jesus before his heavenly Father.
For the second part, Jesus says:
Whoever receives you receives me, and
whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. Whoever receives a prophet
because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a
righteous man because he is righteous will receive a righteous man’s reward.
And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink
because he is a disciple—amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward
(Matthew 10:40-42).
The true disciples whose primacy is Jesus, those who
can prove this by giving up their own lives, being detached from all earthly
matters, including their families, are one with him (i.e. John 14:20; 15:3-7;17:21,
23). This is why those who receive the disciples also receive Jesus (Matthew
10:40a). And because Jesus is one with the Father (John 10:30), those who
receive the disciples, who are one with him, sent by him, who was sent by the
Father (e.g. John 3:16; 5:24, 30, 37; 6:39), also receive the Father (Matthew
10:40b).
Then Jesus speaks of those who receive a prophet and
those who receive a righteous person (Matthew 10:41). This reflects the First
Reading (2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16a), which describes a Shunammite woman, who
received Prophet Elisha, a righteous man of God, and how she received a prophet
reward.
Lastly, Jesus mentions that one who receive a disciple
but not to show a decent hospitality, because of the disciple’s association
with him, will not be rewarded (Matthew 10:42).
This last message reminds, again, that the world may
not be so amicably receive disciples of Christ. But how people would be
rewarded depends on the way they receive the disciples sent by him. In other
words, those who receive Christ’s disciples with hospitality will be rewarded
accordingly. At the same time, this message of Jesus can be also an instruction
for the disciples to make sure they serve those who are least among us, those
who are marginalized, rejected, ostracized, because we will be rewarded
according to how we treat such people (i.e. Matthew 25:31-46). After all, Jesus
decided to send the twelve disciples of his out of his compassion to such
people (Matthew 9:35-10:5).
A reward of receiving a prophet was featured in the
First Reading (2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16a), in which Elisha told a barren Shunammite
woman that she would hold a son in her arms, in response to her kind
hospitality to him. This is similar to the three travelers, whom Abraham
provided hospitality, told him that Sarah, who was thought to be barren and too
old to bear a child, would have a son (Genesis 18:1-10). And Sarah gave birth
to Isaac (Genesis 21:1-7). Likewise, the Shunammite woman sure became pregnant
and had a son, as told by Elisha (2 Kings 4:17). However, he died and she held
her dead son on her lap and laid him on the bed, which Elisha slept when he
stayed at her home (2 Kings 4:20-21). Then, she went in haste to tell Elisha
about her son’s death and he hurried to the house of the woman and raised the
son back to life upon intensely praying to God (2 Kings 4:22-37).
The Responsorial Psalm (89:2-3, 16-17, 18-19) sings joyfully
the grateful sentiment of receiving a reward for having received those who were
sent by God, whether they are disciples of Christ, prophets of God, righteous
persons, or those who are least among us.
As for the Second Reading (Romans 6:3-4, 8-11), this
suggests that the discipleship also requires to be baptized into Christ’s death
in order to live with him, who is risen from the dead, and to be one with him.
And acknowledging this shall help us overcome our anxiety of losing earthly
bodily lives in facing persecution.
Now it is clear to you what costs you to follow Jesus and be sent by him on apostolic mission. And it is made clear how you will be rewarded for your discipleship and service on the mission.
So, what is keeping you from following Jesus and
being sent by him?
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