July 11, 2018

Gospel: Mt 10:1-7
Jesus called his Twelve disciples to him, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out, and to heal every disease and sickness. These are the names of the Twelve apostles: first Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew, the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon, the Canaanite, and Judas Is cariot, the man who would betray him. Jesus sent these Twelve on mission, with the instructions: “Do not vis it pagan territory and do not enter a Samaritan town. Go, instead, to the lost sheep of the people of Israel. Go, and proclaim this message: The kingdom of heaven is near.

Reflections
Their heart is divided!
“Their heart is divided,” the Lord says of Israel. But so are our hearts. They are fragmented by conflicting desires: we love God sincerely, yet are so drawn to sin. We know sin destroys our relationship with God and others, yet we secretly succumb to its allurement. We recognize genuine selflessness in us, yet also know of our subtle self-centeredness. We truly value and pursue the truth, yet often spout falsehoods. By your grace, O Lord, gather and heal our divided hearts that we might love purely and wholeheartedly.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2018