Daily Gospel Reflection
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December 7, 2019
Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness.
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness.
These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment.”
As a mental health clinician working in a medical setting, I’ve had the humbling privilege of meeting many lost sheep. Most of my patients first enter our clinic doors complaining of bodily discomfort, only to find that a different kind of ailment is the root concern. The experience broadens my idea of what Matthew means by Jesus curing “every disease and every sickness.”
In some cultures, depression is identified as a sickness of the heart. One of my patients described her depression as being in darkness. Others express a lack of motivation to get out of bed, let alone the house. The sick, the blind, the lame—they’re as present today as they were in the time of this gospel passage.
Perhaps similar to how the disciples felt, I was eager to follow a call to serve God’s children. I felt that my careful discernment, training in psychology, and spiritual gifts gave me “authority to cast out demons.” I was unprepared for the inward reflection required to serve in this capacity, however.
Much like the requirements for being a disciple, my work asks me to confront pain on a daily basis and to challenge my own thinking and habits along with those of my clients. Ultimately, I realize that what gives me authority to be God’s instrument is acknowledging my place among the lost sheep. I have my own sickness and deadly vices. I too am “harassed and helpless” and in need of a shepherd.
We can do great things with God. As laborers doing demanding work, we can still bring a message of hope. To end my sessions, I draw on the client’s strengths and offer this simple affirmation: “I have hope for you.” In the season of Advent, let us remember that God’s committed presence with us gives us hope, and use it to remedy the sickness we encounter.
Prayer
Eternal God, you reveal the mysteries of the kingdom to those who put their faith in your promise of salvation. As we await the coming of your Son in glory, raise up men and women to bring your message of hope to a waiting world. Instill in them an unshakable trust in your divine providence and a zeal for ministry that will inspire your people to a deeper confidence in your saving power. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Although St. Ambrose is a great saint in his own right—he had a brilliant mind, was a political star of his time, and is one of the thirty-seven doctors of the Church—he is perhaps best remembered for prompting the conversion of the great St. Augustine.
He was born to a Roman family of nobility and had several siblings who also became saints: Marcellina and Satyrus. He was educated in Rome and became known as an eloquent and convincing speaker.
He was trained in the law and was noticed by important politicians in Rome. He was appointed the governor of Milan, one of the most important offices in the empire, before he was 35 years old.
Milan’s bishop died and a controversy arose as to who should succeed him. The dispute threatened violence, so Ambrose went to plead with the crowds himself. While he was speaking, a voice shouted, “Ambrose, bishop!” and the whole crowd took up the cry. Both sides of the dispute unanimously proclaimed him bishop of Milan, even though Ambrose was not yet baptized.
Ambrose tried to escape the election by appealing to the emperor, who simply said that he was pleased to appoint governors worthy of being also bishops. Ambrose next tried hiding in the home of a friend who was a senator but was given up. Finally, on this date in 374, he yielded and was baptized. A week later, he was ordained a bishop.
He gave up all of his belongings to the poor, as an example to the people of Milan and so that he could focus on his duties as bishop. He was famous as a teacher of the faith and a scholar of the Bible. His preaching drew crowds, including a young and noncommittal St. Augustine, whom Ambrose taught and later baptized.
In a letter, Ambrose wrote the following about the art of preaching:
"Let your words be rivers, clean and limpid, so that in your exhortations you may charm the ears of your people. And by the grace of your words win them over to follow your leadership. [Let] no word escape your lips in vain or be uttered without depth of meaning."
Ambrose preached often against the Arian heresy. Ambrose's learning and preaching earned him the title "Doctor of the Church," an honorific given to thirty-six other saints who are known for elucidating the faith by their words or example. His relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica and a stained glass window in the Basilica portrays Ambrose confronting Emperor Theodosius, who was responsible for ordering a massacre of 7,000. The emperor repented publicly for his action because of this encounter and was reconciled to the Church. Ambrose later presided over his funeral.
St. Ambrose, whose preaching drew Christians into a deeper life of faith—pray for us!