July 11, 2018
Internships are an excellent way for people to gain experience in a certain field. Internships have become somewhat the standard for High School and College students to explore their interests in a particular career path. They have their cliché reputation for having the intern make the 3:00pm Starbucks run for the office, but they also give the intern the non-threatening and safe snapshot into “the real world” if you will. Internships also give the employer some extra support at minimal cost and allow them to see what kind of talent is out there for the future. Today, we see Jesus commission twelve interns to go out and practice their preaching and healing skills.
Matthew lists the names of the twelve apostles, called by Jesus. The interesting thing about Matthew’s list is in the details, “The names of the Twelve Apostles are these:first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew;James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John;Philip and Bartholomew,Thomas and Matthew the tax collector;James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus;Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariotwho betrayed Jesus.” These extra descriptions gave me some food for thought as to how others would describe me in the intern line up. “And Jennifer, the singing server? And Jen, the one with really good intentions? And Jen, the writer? And Jennifer, the one who thinks she’s a writer? And Jen, the one that tries, but can’t seem to get it right? And Jen, the one that is all talk and no follow through? And Jennifer, the sinful woman?” Anyway, I was struck by “the tax collector” and “who betrayed Jesus” clarifiers because of our own tendency to label each other. I’d love for my Intern For Jesus Label to be, “Jen, the one who adores Him.”
Jesus gives these twelve interns authority to drive out unclean spirits, and to cure EVERY disease and illness. What is that authority? The NAME of Jesus. What gives us the idea that this is an internship is that he only sends them to fellow Jews. They are not ready for the big time yet as in preaching, and healing to the Gentiles. They know Jewish laws and customs and it would be a pretty safe place to start in their evangelization interning. They get their official diplomas at Pentecost and then they go to ALL the ends of the earth in the Name of Jesus. The message Jesus gives them is a simple one, “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” As with all the gospels, we are called to insert ourselves into the story. We are an apostolic church and the call of the apostles is also our call. By the grace of God and from our own gift of faith, in the name of Jesus, we are summoned to go out and preach, and cure, and heal, and love everyone. Our internship is supported on the shoulders of some amazing men and women that have gone before us in the name of Jesus. The story continues in us and we have the privilege of spreading love to the ends of the earth. We are not to do this alone, but along-side our faithful and compassionate companions. I am honored to serve with you.
Spend some time today to reflect on how you would be described in the intern line-up. What does “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand” mean to you? Who are your companions on the journey? Who have you been called to serve along side?
Today is the Memorial of St. Benedict and I feel like sending a special shout out to my beloved Benedictine sisters that have made a huge impact on my life: Mother Anastasia from the Abbey of Regina Laudis (my Ohana and special prayer warrior!), and Sr. Elizabeth Brown from the Priory of St. Lucy. Both women exemplify a life rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ and are a testament that “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” They live The Ten Values of Benedictine Spirituality like champions! Those values are:
- Love of Christ and Neighbor
- Prayer
- Stability
- Conversatio: Lifelong conversion into the likeness of Christ
- Obedience
- Discipline
- Humility
- Stewardship
- Hospitality
- Community
Have a Benedictine day and it is well with my soul.
Memorial of Saint Benedict, Abbot
Lectionary: 385
Reading 1 HOS 10:1-3, 7-8, 12
Israel is a luxuriant vine
whose fruit matches its growth.
The more abundant his fruit,
the more altars he built;
The more productive his land,
the more sacred pillars he set up.
Their heart is false,
now they pay for their guilt;
God shall break down their altars
and destroy their sacred pillars.
If they would say,
“We have no king”—
Since they do not fear the LORD,
what can the king do for them?
The king of Samaria shall disappear,
like foam upon the waters.
The high places of Aven shall be destroyed,
the sin of Israel;
thorns and thistles shall overgrow their altars.
Then they shall cry out to the mountains, “Cover us!”
and to the hills, “Fall upon us!”
“Sow for yourselves justice,
reap the fruit of piety;
break up for yourselves a new field,
for it is time to seek the LORD,
till he come and rain down justice upon you.”
whose fruit matches its growth.
The more abundant his fruit,
the more altars he built;
The more productive his land,
the more sacred pillars he set up.
Their heart is false,
now they pay for their guilt;
God shall break down their altars
and destroy their sacred pillars.
If they would say,
“We have no king”—
Since they do not fear the LORD,
what can the king do for them?
The king of Samaria shall disappear,
like foam upon the waters.
The high places of Aven shall be destroyed,
the sin of Israel;
thorns and thistles shall overgrow their altars.
Then they shall cry out to the mountains, “Cover us!”
and to the hills, “Fall upon us!”
“Sow for yourselves justice,
reap the fruit of piety;
break up for yourselves a new field,
for it is time to seek the LORD,
till he come and rain down justice upon you.”
Responsorial Psalm PS105:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
R. (4b) Seek always the face of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
R. Seek always the face of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought,
his portents, and the judgments he has uttered.
R. Seek always the face of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R. Seek always the face of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
R. Seek always the face of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought,
his portents, and the judgments he has uttered.
R. Seek always the face of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R. Seek always the face of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Alleluia MK 1:15
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Kingdom of God is at hand:
repent and believe in the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Kingdom of God is at hand:
repent and believe in the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel MT 10:1-7
Jesus summoned his Twelve disciples
and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out
and to cure every disease and every illness.
The names of the Twelve Apostles are these:
first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew;
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John;
Philip and Bartholomew,
Thomas and Matthew the tax collector;
James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus;
Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot
who betrayed Jesus.
Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus,
“Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town.
Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”
and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out
and to cure every disease and every illness.
The names of the Twelve Apostles are these:
first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew;
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John;
Philip and Bartholomew,
Thomas and Matthew the tax collector;
James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus;
Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot
who betrayed Jesus.
Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus,
“Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town.
Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”
Sending Love, Peace and Gratitude for your "internship"!! And so amazing on this Feast of St. Benedict, Patron of Europe, in case you were not aware, and a place that , like us, seems to be consumed in these new DarkER Ages!!!, That you chose interns. Here, we have "monastic interns", a year living, praying and working, to grow interiorly, to get a new footing on The Way!!! To dive in and surf the waves, small (Kailua) & massive ( Makaha) both scary in their own way, depending where I am in life!! (had to make that analogy for my ohana)
ReplyDeleteMuch Aloha. Love you.
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