Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
The first reading this weekend is from Exodus and it contains a promise: “If you hearken to my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my special possession, dearer to me than all other people.”
God is promising to make Israel “a kingdom of priests, a holy nation,” if they keep His covenant. We know from reading the rest of the Old Testament that the people of Israel never fully keep their part of the covenant. Yet God is always faithful, despite their unfaithfulness.
In the Gospel, Jesus sends his disciples not to pagan territory or any Samaritan towns, but to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel,” showing us that God never abandons his chosen ones.
This is the point Saint Paul is making in his letter to the Romans. Paul tells us, “But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” God is always pursuing us.
The foundation of our life as Catholics is this deep awareness of God’s relentless love for us. Even when we stray from our own baptismal covenant with him, he comes looking to save us and bring us back to himself.
Today’s Gospel ends with a powerful reminder: “Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.” We know the limitless mercy of God. We know that God has reconciled us to himself through Christ’s suffering and death. Since we are aware of all this we are reminded that we are to imitate his generosity in bearing witness to the Gospel. We must tell others about the love and mercy of God. Knowing the love which has saved us, we must see that others come to know His love.
Jesus calls us to pour ourselves out for the sake of the Gospel. This is not a burden or an imposition, but a response to the love we have received. This great love compels us to make him and his kingdom known.
St. Ignatius of Loyola wrote this Prayer for Generosity.
Dear Lord, teach me to be generous. Teach me to serve you as you deserve; to give and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labor and not to ask for reward, except that of knowing that I am doing your will. Amen.
God Bless You All
Deacon Michael Braun