15th Sunday of the Year
Today we have Mark's account of the sending out of the disciples. Matthew and Luke have parallel accounts. All three are written after the resurrection of Jesus, for three different communities. We are dealing here with a simple hand-book for disciples. The first rule is that they should live lightly. The disciple won't travel far or fast if he is dragging all his possessions with him. The second rule-of-thumb is that the presence of the disciple must be a healthy presence. Peace will be his priority. The disciple should strive to heal and restore that which is disordered and diseased.
Another 'rule of thumb' is the urgency of the mission. The Messiah is returning soon. So, don't waste your time on those who will not listen. If you meet hostility, don't be detained or delayed by it. 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 because is is the latest written. Luke has the Master imparting important information to the disciples before they set out: "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.
Luke refers to '72 others' in addition to the original 12. The figure 72 is symbolic. 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. It was important that 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.
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. 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 turn to each other to offer the sign of peace, as we do every Sunday. 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. That is how Christian community is created and sustained.