Message of Abbot Paul - Monday 12th July
Message from Fr Paul for Monday, 12th July 2021
Today, at last, we come to the end of this long discourse of teaching and instruction given by Jesus to the Twelve before they start out to preach and heal in his name. It’s unlikely that Jesus would have taught all this in one go, but Matthew is an organised man who wants everything set out in order, hence the discourse as we have it in his Gospel, (Mt 10:34 – 11: 1). Were these words only for them? Obviously not, for by giving them pride of place in his Gospel, Matthew makes it abundantly clear that these instructions are for the whole Church and for all time. They are also meant for us today.
This final section of the discourse begins with some unexpected words that need some interpretation. “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth: it is not peace I have come to bring, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies will be those of his own household.” It’s not that Jesus hasn’t come to bring peace, but he is more than aware of the fact that to take up his invitation to follow his Way will undoubtedly bring strife and division in society and within families. At many moments of history, e.g. at the Reformation, we have seen how family members have betrayed one another to death. The peace that Jesus brings is reconciliation with God through repentance and conversion, not an easy peace which is manmade and is simply the absence of war. He goes on to say, “Anyone who prefers father or mother to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who prefers son or daughter to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in my footsteps is not worthy of me. Anyone who finds his life will lose it; anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it.” Things are becoming clearer: Christ must become our fundamental option, to which nothing is to be preferred. St Benedict tells us in his “little rule for beginners” that we are to prefer nothing whatever to Christ. This means putting Christ first, not because we reject others in any way, but in loving Christ we come to love others as Christ loves them. Hence it is the way of the cross that leads to true life and losing our life in order to find it anew and renewed in Christ, just as death leads to resurrection.
Jesus then says something quite extraordinary, mind-blowing in fact. “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me; and those who welcome me welcome the one who sent me.” The apostles are being sent out in the name of Jesus, so that those who welcome a disciple in fact welcome Jesus, but in welcoming Jesus they also welcome God the Father, the one who sent Jesus as Lord and Saviour. He goes on to say “Anyone who welcomes a prophet will have a prophet’s reward; and anyone who welcomes a holy man will have a holy man’s reward. If anyone gives so much as a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward.” Two sayings here, to do with the way a disciple or apostle is treated. Not only will those who receive them be rewarded, but even a cup of cold water will not be forgotten in the book of life. Generosity on the part of those who support the mission will be rewarded generously by God. “When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he moved on from there to teach and preach in their towns.” And so this section of Matthew comes to an end with a short link sentence pointing to what will come next, Jesus and the disciples of John the Baptist.
We pray today that each of us, in our own small way, will take part in the mission of Jesus to bring salvation to the world. We pray that we might be patient and persevering, no matter what difficulties and obstructions are placed in our way. May we put nothing whatever before Christ and may he bring us all together to life everlasting. Amen.
