20200507 MISSION IS ROOTED IN BEING SENT
07 May, 2020, Thursday, 4th Week of Easter
Readings at Mass
Liturgical Colour: White.
First reading
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Acts 13:13-25 ©
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God has raised up one of David's descendants, Jesus, as Saviour
Paul and his friends went by sea from Paphos to Perga in Pamphylia where John left them to go back to Jerusalem. The others carried on from Perga till they reached Antioch in Pisidia. Here they went to synagogue on the sabbath and took their seats. After the lessons from the Law and the Prophets had been read, the presidents of the synagogue sent them a message: ‘Brothers, if you would like to address some words of encouragement to the congregation, please do so.’ Paul stood up, held up a hand for silence and began to speak:
‘Men of Israel, and fearers of God, listen! The God of our nation Israel chose our ancestors, and made our people great when they were living as foreigners in Egypt; then by divine power he led them out, and for about forty years took care of them in the wilderness. When he had destroyed seven nations in Canaan, he put them in possession of their land for about four hundred and fifty years. After this he gave them judges, down to the prophet Samuel. Then they demanded a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin. After forty years, he deposed him and made David their king, of whom he approved in these words, “I have selected David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will carry out my whole purpose.” To keep his promise, God has raised up for Israel one of David’s descendants, Jesus, as Saviour, whose coming was heralded by John when he proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the whole people of Israel. Before John ended his career he said, “I am not the one you imagine me to be; that one is coming after me and I am not fit to undo his sandal.”’
Responsorial Psalm
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Psalm 88(89):2-3,21,22,25,27 ©
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I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.
or
Alleluia!
I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord;
through all ages my mouth will proclaim your truth.
Of this I am sure, that your love lasts for ever,
that your truth is firmly established as the heavens.
I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.
or
Alleluia!
I have found David my servant
and with my holy oil anointed him.
My hand shall always be with him
and my arm shall make him strong.
I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.
or
Alleluia!
My truth and my love shall be with him;
by my name his might shall be exalted.
He will say to me: ‘You are my father,
my God, the rock who saves me.’
I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.
or
Alleluia!
Gospel Acclamation
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cf.Rv1:5
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Alleluia, alleluia!
You, O Christ, are the faithful witness,
the First-born from the dead,
you have loved us and have washed away our sins with your blood.
Alleluia!
Gospel
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John 13:16-20 ©
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Whoever welcomes the one I send welcomes me
After he had washed the feet of his disciples, Jesus said to them:
‘I tell you most solemnly,
no servant is greater than his master,
no messenger is greater than the man who sent him.
‘Now that you know this, happiness will be yours if you behave accordingly. I am not speaking about all of you: I know the ones I have chosen; but what scripture says must be fulfilled: Someone who shares my table rebels against me.
‘I tell you this now, before it happens,
so that when it does happen
you may believe that I am He.
I tell you most solemnly,
whoever welcomes the one I send welcomes me,
and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.’
MISSION IS ROOTED IN BEING SENT
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ Acts 13:13-25; Ps 89:2-3, 21, 22, 25, 27; Jn 13:16-20 ]
In secular understanding, one’s mission in life is one’s goal or objective. Every person must know his life’s mission. Every organization must spell out its mission clearly in order to succeed. This mission originates from a person or an organization. However, this is not the understanding of mission in Christian understanding. The basis of mission, unlike that of the world, lies in one being sent. There is no mission unless the mission originates from someone higher than oneself. Therefore, the theology of mission is rooted very much in the theology of sending. No one can have the authority to represent Jesus or the Church without being sent. Just like Jesus who was sent by the Father, and the disciples sent by the Lord, so too in the Christian Church, the ministers must be sent by the bishop. We see this theme of sending explained in today’s scripture readings.
In the gospel, Jesus prepared His disciples for the mission ahead of them after His return to His Father. Jesus, therefore, came from the Father and was now returning to Him. (cf Jn 13:1) On this basis, Jesus could tell His disciples, “‘I tell you this now, before it happens, so that when it does happen you may believe that I am He. I tell you most solemnly, whoever welcomes the one I send welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.” Jesus made it clear that He was sent by the Father to save the world. Jesus is called the Son of God, the Second Person of the Father because the latter is the origin. He did not come to do His own will but the will of the One who sent Him. “Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works.” (Jn 14:10)
This fact of the need to be sent is underscored by St Paul. Paul brought his listeners through the history of salvation beginning with the foundation of Israel when God set them free from Egypt, made them His chosen people, gave them possession of the Promised Land. After which, they became a kingdom with Saul. The kings of Israel were appointed by God to act on His behalf. However, the mistake of Saul was that he allowed power and glory to get into his head. He forgot that God appointed him to act on His behalf and to carry out His plan. Instead, his pride and self-will resulted in him going against the will of God. Because Saul did not do what the Lord asked him to do, God rejected him and instead appointed David who was, by contrast, a man after His own heart who will do all God’s will. (cf 1 Sm 13:14). Citing from the psalm, Paul said, “I have selected David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will carry out my whole purpose.” David was appointed by God to act on His behalf by exercising the kingship of Yahweh for His people. He became the model for Christian leaders.
Then came the climax and the surprise, Jesus is the fulfillment of the promise made to David that His dynasty will last forever. “To keep his promise, God has raised up for Israel one of David’s descendants, Jesus, as Saviour.” To prepare for His coming, John the Baptist was sent to be the forerunner. He was the one who would be the messenger to prepare for the coming of the Messiah. Again, John the Baptist was a great prophet simply because he knew his place. He knew that he was sent just to prepare for the Messiah by calling the people to repentance. He said, “I am not the one you imagine me to be; that one is coming after me and I am not fit to undo his sandal.” He reiterated, “I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him. He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. For this reason, my joy has been fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.” (Jn 3:28-30)
The disciples of Jesus, in turn, were also sent by the Lord. It was at the farewell meal that Jesus sent them out to do what He did. After washing their feet, He said, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord – and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.” (Jn 13:12-15) Jesus was asking the disciples not so much to do what He did but as He did. In washing the feet of His disciples, Jesus was symbolically telling His disciples to pass on the same teaching and revelation that He, their teacher and Lord, had done. They too were called to convey both in word and deed, the unconditional forgiveness and selfless love of God just as Christ their teacher did. They were called to represent Christ just as He represented the Father’s self-sacrificing love for His people. Through His disciples whom the Lord sent, others would also come to know His Father because the disciples were identified with the master.
What does this mean for us as disciples of the Lord? Firstly, before we can be sent out to represent the Lord, we must be identified with the Lord. It is only when the messenger is so identified with Christ in service and love, that he could lead people to Christ. If Jesus took the role of a servant, His disciples are called to do the same. Like Jesus who was obedient to the Father unto death, the disciples too sent by the Lord must be submissive to the authority of Jesus. A disciple must, therefore, walk in intimacy with the Lord so that he can reflect our Lord in his or her life (cf Jn 15:1-17).
Secondly, we must remember that we are always sent and that there is always a higher authority over us. Otherwise, we cannot claim to represent anyone except ourselves. Christ who is sent by the Father has now the authority to send us since upon His Ascension, He is now seated on the right hand of the Father, sharing His authority and power (cf Mt 28:18f) A Christian is sent out for the mission of proclaiming the Good News by virtue of his baptism. However, ministers who represent the Church must be sent by the Church’s authorities. Paul and Barnabas were sent out by the Christian Community. They did not send themselves. Of course, when the Christian community appoints their ministers, it is always done in union with the Lord. Through the work of discernment and the assistance of the Holy Spirit, the Church ordains her ministers to serve the Church. We read, “The Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.” (Acts 13:2f)
In the Church, the bishop who has the apostolic succession is the one who sends. He ordains his ministers and appoints them to deputize him in the diocese. This is also why the ordinary minister of the Sacrament of Confirmation is always the bishop, since confirmation is the sending forth of the baptized Catholic to be a witness of Christ for the Church. Without the bishop, the priest has no faculty to exercise his ministry because he is ordained to act on behalf of the bishop. A priest does not exist on his own. He is called to articulate the mind of the bishop who represents Christ in his diocese. That was what Jesus said, “I tell you most solemnly, no servant is greater than his master, no messenger is greater than the man who sent him. Now that you know this, happiness will be yours if you behave accordingly.”
We must be careful that we do not behave like Judas. Jesus warned His disciples, “I am not speaking about all of you: I know the ones I have chosen; but what scripture says must be fulfilled: Someone who shares my table rebels against me.” He did not act for Jesus. Instead, he acted for himself and chose to do things his own way rather than following the direction of our Lord. Indeed, we have priests and lay people today who act apart from those who appointed them for their mission in the Church. We must always remember that we are sent and so we are answerable to the one who sends us. We must not allow pride to take over us, making us do what we will.
Instead, let us imitate Jesus, the One who ultimately sent us, and we, in turn, send out others. The Lord was obedient to His Father unto death. He came to represent His Father and to reveal His love and mercy. He showed this by continuing to offer His friendship to Judas whom He knew was going to betray Him, and his other disciples who would abandon Him. We too should act accordingly when those whom we appoint betray us. We must continue to reach out to them, be patient and forgiving. The greatness of a leader lies in his capacity to forgive and to heal those who betray Him. It is painful indeed to be betrayed by those whom we appoint, but this is where we are called to be like Jesus and show ourselves to be greater in love and forgiveness than the one whom we send.
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved
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