Homily for Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today we have Mark's account of the sending out of the disciples. Matthew and Luke have parallel accounts. And they differ in details. Matthew and Luke tell us that the disciple must not carry a staff. Mark tells us that the disciple must carry a staff only. Mark says the disciple should wear sandals; Matthew says he should wear no sandals; Luke doesn't mention sandals. So the first lesson to be learned is that we must not look to the scriptures for literal details. Even in matters more serious than appropriate footwear, on issues such as divorce and remarriage, there is no unanimity among the four gospel writers.
All three accounts of the sending out of the disciples are obviously written after the resurrection of Jesus. We must draw on all three accounts to provide the more complete picture of the original 'sending out'. They are general recommendations, general principles, drawn up for three different communities. The general principle underlying the entire instruction is that the disciple should live lightly. In the original context, the disciple is traveling over difficult terrain in a Mediterranean climate. He won't travel far or fast if he is dragging all his possessions with him. Another matter upon which all three accounts concur is that the presence of the disciple should be a healthy presence. The disciple should strive to heal and restore that which is disordered and diseased. Another 'rule of thumb': the return of the Messiah is expected soon. So there is an urgency about the mission. Consequently, don't waste your time on those who will not listen. Shake the dust off your feet. Move on to more promising territory.
Mark's is the most tightly written. Luke's account is the most elaborate. In that account, before the Master gave them instructions for the mission, he imparted an important bit of information. "The harvest is rich, but the labourers are few." The disciples were not going out into barren territory. They were going into a ripe harvest field. The same applies today. We are instructed to approach people in the expectation that they have much to offer. The disciple is only harvesting and harnessing what is already there. If we approach the harvest with absolutely no expectations, then we will reap nothing. If we don't recognise the gifts and talents that stare us in the face, then we are just wasting our time.
According to Luke, "he sent them to every town and place he himself was to visit." Luke refers also to '72 others'. The figure 72 is symbolic in that in the ancient world, people generally believed that there were 72 distinct nations on earth. So sending out the seventy-two is another way of saying that the Jesus intended his gospel for all the nations of the earth, and not exclusively his own Judean tribe or indeed for the nation of Israel. All three accounts agree that he sent them out in pairs. I'm sure many of you in your work and business lives will have often reached the conclusion that, if you really want a job done, do it yourself. In the long run, it is easier. Human beings are difficult to deal with and they complicate matters unnecessarily. However, this luxury is not available to Christians; the primary aim of Christianity is the build up community and to restore broken relationships. People, not work, are at the heart of Christianity. The spreading of the gospel was not to be a solo-run by an unanchored maverick. Since the building of community was the primary aim of Jesus, that work will be done most effectively by a small community.
So he sent them out in pairs. I'm sure there must have been some unlikely, incompatible partners there, pairs who just didn't get on. And yet they were commissioned to go out, knock on every door, and according to Luke their first words were to be "Peace to this house." And the disciples going out had no escape in possessions or wealth, no haversack or sandals or spare tunic: all they had was the company of each other and that's where they had first to preach their peace. Peace to the companion on the journey, peace returned. It was important the by the time they reached their first village they had learned to live in peace with each other. Peace was the goal of their mission, but that mission would have been futile if they hadn't it themselves first of all. As we know to our cost, peace cannot be imposed. The peace Jesus had in mind was a gift, not an imposition. That gift is gained and given through standing in the other fellow's shoes, viewing the world from the patch on which he stands. The Christian message would be spread primarily by witnesses rather than teachers or preachers. The human ear has more time for the silence of witness than for the thunder of words. It goes without saying that the fellow at war with his neighbour is not the most effective apostle of peace.
In a few moments we'll be nourished at the great feast of peace, the Eucharist. Jesus told us in another place that if we were not at peace with our brother, we should leave our offerings there and first go and be reconciled with our brother. Then we could come back to the Eucharist to be confirmed and strengthened in what we had already done. The Eucharist is not cut off from real life. It is an extension of life; In the Sunday Eucharist we give thanks to God for what happened in our lives in the course of the week; We beg his forgiveness for the wrongs we have done and we ask for the strength and grace to live out his message in a more convinced and convincing way during the coming week. And let us not approach this table without at least a prayer for those at other tables who are waiting for peace. We should remember in our prayers in a special way at this time the people of Northern Ireland and all those involved in conflict everywhere. Some day lambs will not have to fear the wolves. But that day depends on all of us, and the adequacy of our response to the Christian call to live at peace with all.