Gospel Reflection for Thursday, February 4th. 2021 — Mark 6:7-13
What will you do with your calling? Is it your turn to be “sent”?
Each and everyone of us has been called by Christ in one form or another. Whether it’s simply to Follow Him through the waters of baptism and be a witness to Jesus by the example of a life lived well in faith, or into a particular ministry?
The question is, will you listen? Will you even hear God’s voice? Simply reading this page today is evidence that God has tugged on your heart strings. What will you do? Will you harden your heart? Or, will you joyfully accept His invitation?
God is Kind and merciful, He’s given us free will to accept his gift of salvation, or deny and reject his offer. The choice is yours.
The “Twelve” In today’s gospel, like you were personally called. These are the guys who would be later selected to be Jesus’ apostles, or chief disciples.
In this passage we find them being sent out on a training mission so-to-speak. They had been called, trained, equipped, and empowered for the task ahead of them. These guys listened and responded to the call. As a result “they went off and preached repentance.” They also “drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.”
No, we don’t all receive the same calling, or even the same gifts. But to all those who respond to the calling, repent, and are baptized for the forgiveness of their sins, “to them is granted the right to to become children of God.” (John 1:12)
“If today you’ve heard God’s word;” if you feel like you’re being called or sent, “harden not your heart...” (Psalm 95:8) This could be your turn.
GOSPEL — Mark 6:7-13
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.
