Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

Matthew 10,40-42

Rev. Neli Miranda 

Good morning! The community of St. Alban welcomes you!

When someone welcomes me in a community, offers me a smile and wants to share with me, I feel warm and embraced. I feel at home! To be welcoming is a Christian vocation and makes Jesus himself present in our midst.

“Welcome” is the key word in today’s Gospel, and Jesus uses this six times at the end of his teaching to the twelve disciples named apostles. Apostle means “one who is sent”, and Jesus sent the twelve as an “advanced team” to proclaim the Kingdom of God.  This first mission was a local one, so the twelve were sent only to the people of Israel and Jesus commanded them, “Proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven [God] has come near.’ Cure the sick; raise the dead; cleanse those with a skin disease; cast out demons” (10,7-8). They did not go on their own but were sent as envoys of Jesus to proclaim the news of God’s kingdom while healing and liberating people.

            Chapter 10 of the Gospel of Matthew tells us how Jesus prepares the twelve to face their mission, what they are to do and the difficulties they will face. They lived in a hostile world and Jesus warns them that they should not expect a warm welcome everywhere; they will encounter people who will reject them, and they will visit places where the news of the Kingdom of God will not be welcomed. So, Jesus teaches them how to act when faced with rejection, “If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town” (10,14). Traveling Jews were told to shake off the dust of pagan countries before re-entering the Holy Land. Likewise, Jesus asks his envoys to shake off the dust from their feet. No unjust practices should remain on their feet that must be guided by the principles of the Kingdom of God.

The good news of the Kingdom of God struck at the base of the unjust system that prevailed at this time and raised persecution against Jesus and his disciples. So, Jesus also foretells that the liberating mission will bring persecution and division. The good news of the Kingdom of God was not welcomed by those who practiced injustice and many of Jesus’ disciples suffered cruel persecution. However, Jesus’ teachings end on a positive note, which reaffirms the theme of the union of Jesus and his disciples on the mission; they do not go alone nor as themselves; they are God’s envoys: “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me” (10,40). By these words Jesus means that receiving a disciple of Jesus means receiving the very presence of Jesus himself and the presence of the One who sent him, God the Father. What a great commitment to be God’s ambassadors in the world!

How do you represent God in this world?

Matthew’s objective in recording this event in his Gospel is not only recalling Jesus’ instructions to his first disciples; he is also encouraging the new generations of disciples. He reminds us that Jesus continues sending disciples to proclaim the Kingdom of God and, just as in the first century, our mission occurs in a perilous world where many times our message is not welcomed. Jesus does not ask us to contend with those who reject us but to leave them and “shake off the dust of injustice from our feet”. Let us shake off the dust from our feet of places where we are not welcomed, where injustice, oppression, violence, and hatred prevail. We are ambassadors of justice and peace!

Additionally, Matthew’s account reminds us that we are both “welcomers” and “receivers” of those who proclaim the good news in the world.  In our society we no longer find itinerant preachers who in the past traveled to different cities preaching and needing hospitality. However, there are many people in our midst preaching love, justice, and peace; there are many prophets denouncing injustices, and there are righteous defenders of human rights and nature calling us to justice. Do we welcome their causes? Do we support them?

Sisters and brothers, today we are reminded that when we welcome those who speak of justice and peace, we welcome Jesus and God the Father. Jesus also tells us that when we welcome the proclaimers of justice and peace, we receive a reward, that is, the fruits of justice and peace that flourish in our midst. Jesus also speaks about welcoming the little ones, those who are in danger and unprotected in the world: “… whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.” (10,42). Welcoming them makes Jesus present among us!

Let us welcome today all who are around us. Offer a smile, a handshake, a pat on the back, a piece of bread, a cup of cold water. Make Jesus present in this world! Amen.