What do you think it was like for the disciples when Jesus summoned them and told them to go out and tell the people “that the kingdom of God was at hand.” On this journey, the disciples were given the ability to heal the sick, get rid of unclean spirits, and raise the dead. I, for one, would be terrified knowing that I had such a great task to carry out, to be Jesus’ voice and continue to spread the good news about the kingdom of God to those who hadn’t heard the message yet. To prove to everyone that Jesus came to heal those troubled in some way.
In a way, this was a dry run, preparing them for the ministry ahead. Did they know this at the time? Probably not. I bet they were excited to share the message of Jesus and the knowledge that they had found the Messiah. They were energized to carry out this task. As they are ready for the journey, Jesus also tells them that “Without cost you have received, without cost you are to give.” Jesus gave the disciples all they needed for the journey at no cost, so they should give it all back freely without thinking about it.
We don’t know what the returning disciples talked about or what Jesus thought of their trip. Still, I’m sure it had a significant impact on their lives as they slowly discovered what it meant to be Jesus’ disciples. For the disciples not thinking about what they could get out of a situation, but to give freely of what they had, was an important lesson to learn. We should keep this in mind as we, too, make our journey through life.
Sister Rebecca Sullivan, CSFN
