Cycle A
Good News A29
Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary
Time
Matthew 9:36-38 New American
Bible
Matthew 10:1-8 New American
Bible
When Jesus saw crowds of troubled
people, he felt sorry for them. These people were tired, poor, and sick. To him they seemed like lost sheep without a
shepherd. He sent his 12 apostles to be
their shepherds. These were the twelve
apostles in alphabetical order: Andrew,
Bartholomew, James son of Zebedee, James the son of Alphaeus,
John the son of Zebedee, Judas Iscariot, Matthew the tax collector, Philip, Simon
from Cana, Simon Peter, Thaddeus, and Thomas.
Jesus sent these apostles to lead the sheep so they would
not be lost. He gave his apostles many
powers. He gave them the power to raise
the dead. He gave them the power to
cleanse the lepers. He gave them the
power to cure the sick. He gave them the
power to cast out the devil’s demons that were inside the bodies and minds of
the people. He gave these powers to his apostles free of charge. Therefore, he expected them to share these
powers with his needy people free of charge.
The apostles anointed disciples to follow in Jesus’ footsteps. These disciples were given the same powers as
Jesus gave his apostles. These disciples
gave their powers to other men to pass on down the ages. There is a spiritual line all the way from
Jesus to the priests today. The Bishop
of the Diocese of Charlotte ordains the new priests who are given the powers
that Jesus gave his Apostles.
When Jesus
died on the cross for our sins, God gave us forgiveness free of charge. He expects us to forgive others free of
charge. Because we are human, it may not
be as easy as it sounds. It may be
difficult to forgive someone who has really hurt us. That is why it is so helpful to talk with the
priest during the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Jesus gave the power to heal hearts, minds, and bodies to his
apostles. When we go to confession, the
priest tells us that our sins are forgiven.
When we have problems, he listens and helps us to find solutions to
them. He helps us to forgive
others. Jesus wants us to find it in our
hearts to forgive others as God as forgiven us.
Say the “Our Father” and thank God for sending a good shepherd to find
you when you are lost.
“Our Father, who art in Heaven,
Hallowed
be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy
will be done,
On
earth as it is in heaven.
Give
us this day, our daily bread.
And
forgive us our trespasses,
As
we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.”
Copyright ©2002, 2004 Joan Y. Edwards