Daily Gospel Reflection
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February 4, 2021
Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two
and gave them authority over unclean spirits.
He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick
–no food, no sack, no money in their belts.
They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic.
He said to them,
“Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there.
Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you,
leave there and shake the dust off your feet
in testimony against them.”
So they went off and preached repentance.
The Twelve drove out many demons,
and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.
Jesus knows that, when he sends out his disciples, they won’t be accepted by everyone. Their message is new, challenging, and radical. To reject that message is to reject Jesus as the Messiah.
Jesus tells his disciples, “Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.” This seems justified, since the disciples are doing nothing more than acting out a gesture of disapproval directed at the people who would not believe in the Messiah. But it also seems rather harsh and final. Isn’t the point of the Good News that it is available to all people at all times?
This line in the reading really challenged me. Did this mean that people of these places were lost? Did Jesus reject them because they rejected him?
I don’t think so. For me, the dust that the disciples shake off their feet is the dust of sin and unbelief. They need to shake that dust off their feet before they can go and preach the Good News to the next town. But Jesus’ offer of salvation is not revoked, the disciples just can’t be weighed down by the negativity of sin and unbelief as they continue their mission.
And what does Jesus do at the end of his ministry? He washes his disciples’ feet (Jn 13:1-17), and he offers the same to all of us. The disciples had accumulated quite a lot of dust on their feet through the course of their ministry. Even their own sin and unbelief was still clinging to them. Only Jesus can cleanse us with his grace and he is willing to wash our feet whenever we will let him.
Prayer
Lord, today you send your disciples out on mission, to spread the good news that the kingdom of God is now among us. You sent them two-by-two. Grant us both the zeal to spread the message of your Gospel wherever you have placed us in life, and grant us the support and encouragement of companionship in faith, that we may never lose heart in our daily efforts on your behalf. Amen.
Saint of the Day
St. Joseph of Leonessa clung to the cross of Christ as his only strength in life, and it gave him great perseverance and hope.
Eufranio Deseridi was born in Leonessa, Italy, in 1556, and was orphaned at the age of 12. He was raised by an uncle, who arranged a marriage for him that Eufranio declined because he felt a call to religious life.
He met a group of Capuchin monks, and was impressed by their life together. He joined them at the age of 18, taking the name Joseph. He was known for the intensity of his prayer, and he was ordained a priest.
As a priest, he preached throughout the region, always holding a crucifix. His words were so interesting that he once converted a gang of 50 highway bandits who came to listen to his homilies out of curiosity.
He was assigned as a missionary in a suburb of Constantinople, and became a chaplain to a group of 4,000 Christian galley slaves. He continued to preach, and his words comforted the imprisoned Christians and even converted some of their guards.
His zeal landed him in prison twice, and he was even tortured for demanding an audience with the sultan—he was hung by hooks over a smoky fire for three days. When released, he returned to Italy to continue his life as a wandering preacher.
Joseph was a tireless advocate for the poor, and established hospitals, homeless shelters, and food banks to serve them. He was known to wade into gang fights and brawls to preach peace, carrying nothing but the crucifix he kept with him.
In his 50s, he was struck with cancer. He underwent several painful operations without anesthesia in an attempt to remove the disease. He was asked if he wanted to be bound, but he pointed to his crucifix and replied, “This is the strongest bond—this will hold me better than any ropes could.” He died at the age of 58. His relics rest in the reliquary chapel of the Basilica.
St. Joseph of Leonessa, who helped the poor, preached peace, and served enslaved Christians, pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Joseph of Leonessa is in the public domain. Last accessed December 5, 2024 on Wikimedia Commons.
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