ELEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR A
Commentary of Fr. Fernando Armellini
A good Sunday to all.
There is a generalized desire that everyone feels, and it is the expectation that in our world, something new will emerge because we are tired of hearing about wars, violence, and injustice. We're tired of hearing the language of insults, threats, and retaliation, and we hope that everything chaotic in our world will give way to an orderly world where peace, justice, and respect for the dignity of each person reign. This is a change that everyone seeks to achieve in politics, economics, science, and technology. Even those who build weapons are looking for it; they think this is how you create this new reality we all hope for.
How many Christians believe that the only force that can bring about this new reality is the proclamation of the Gospel? As long as the world does not accept the logic of the Gospel, all attempts to build a new reality will fail. At the beginning of his Gospel, the evangelist Matthew places the Sermon on the Mount. There are three chapters, and then he dedicates two chapters to narrate the humanity that Jesus encounters when he comes down from the mountain; it is sick humanity; it is sick from the physical point of view because he meets lepers, paralytics, the blind; and sick from the spiritual point of view because it is a sinner; many demons possess it.
This is the humanity that Jesus encounters when he comes down from the mountain, and in these two chapters, Matthew narrates what happens to this humanity when Jesus arrives, when his Word, his Gospel, arrives. Healings and wonders happen, and he narrates ten of them, one after the other. What does this evangelist want to tell us? His Word makes all that is inhuman disappear from the world. The first person he encounters is a leper—and we know that lepers were considered the very incarnation of sin because sin distorts and hurts the face of the children of God. The violent, the dishonest, the dissolute, and the corrupt are people we find unpleasant (as was the case with the lepers of Jesus' time), people from whom we all try to distance ourselves... Sin makes us like lepers: it disfigures our faces, and it makes our human faces unrecognizable.
What does the Gospel do when it enters our lives? It heals us from this condition; it gives us a new, beautiful face, like that of the Son of God. Then, coming down from the mountain, he meets a paralytic; it is the image of someone who cannot walk in life, who is stuck, who must be accompanied, and who must go where he is led. Jesus stands up for one who is paralyzed in his own life and does not build a life worth living. It is the Gospel that heals. Then, he meets a blind man who represents those who do not know which paths to choose, often moving in the wrong direction because he does not see. The word of Jesus, his Gospel, opens the eyes of the blind man and indicates the right choices to make.
This is the humanity that is represented by all these diseases; it is the humanity that Jesus encounters, our humanity. Then, the evangelist Matthew places among these wonders another healing, the most difficult to heal: the healing of the attachment to money. It is a miracle like the miracle of passing a camel through the eye of a needle. And it is precisely the case of our evangelist Matthew, the tax collector in Capernaum; it is he who, 50 years after the call he received from Jesus, writes this account of the miracle that the word of Jesus worked in his life. Note that in Mark's Gospel, Matthew is called 'Levi' (Mk 2:14), but in his Gospel, he calls himself Matthew, which in Hebrew means "gift of God," to allude to his new name to his new life: the one he begins to live from the encounter with Jesus when he is healed by him when he is saved and sets out to follow him. At this point, Jesus tells the disciples that he cannot change the world alone; he needs co-workers. Let's listen to the context in which these collaborators are called to carry out their mission:
“At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.”
We have heard how the evangelist describes the humanity that Jesus has before him; they are people exhausted and in disarray, like a flock without a shepherd, a humanity that no one cares about, neither the political leaders nor the religious authority because they are all motivated by the pursuit of their self-interest, they only think of improving their own lives. They neglect the hungry, the sick, the oppressed, the mistreated, and the abused.
The image used by the evangelist is taken from the Old Testament; in chapter 27 of the book of Numbers, it is said that Moses one day turned to God and asked him: "Do not allow these people of yours to be one day in disarray like a flock without a shepherd." Unfortunately, the history of the kings of Israel tells us that they all turned out not to be shepherds but unworthy leaders who led the people to ruin.
The prophet Ezekiel, in chapter 34 of his book, makes a harsh rebuke of this intolerable situation and concludes that in the end, there is no hope that anything will change with these corrupt people, capable only of exploiting the sheep and terrorizing a ruined country; and at the end, he makes a promise: “One day, the Lord will personally take care of his people; he will become the shepherd who leads Israel.” And, in Jesus, God fulfilled this promise; he has personally come to care for sick humanity. And what emotion did you feel? We perhaps imagine God far away, who loves humanity, but whether humanity is good or bad, He is pleased anyway.
In Jesus, God revealed himself as someone who is emotionally involved and moved and can feel compassion for the pain of humanity. Compassion is precisely in the sense of sympathizing, of 'suffering with,' of feeling as one's own the pain of suffering people. This is our God. The verb used is σπλαγχνίζομαι (splagchnizomai), which occurs twelve times in the Gospels and is consistently applied only to God and Jesus as if he alone could feel this strong emotion. Σπλαγχνίζομαι (splagchnizomai) comes from σπλάγχνα (splanchna), which is the viscera; it is visceral passion. The same image is employed in the Old Testament when God self-presents himself and says: 'Amit Rahum.' 'Rahum' comes from 'rehem,' which is the womb; it is uterine love, the strongest passion a person can feel; it is that of the mother for the child in her womb. This is the image that God uses to express his involvement in man's needs.
Let us ask ourselves if we experience this feeling in the face of the needs of humankind. If you do not feel it, forget about becoming a disciple of Jesus because you will not allow yourself to be involved in his work of saving humanity. Let us ask ourselves then, how do you feel today about the needs of humanity? Don't we see many people exhausted from running after vanities, only to experience bitter disappointments? Do we not see people tired of cultivating ephemeral hopes and facing meaningless lives? What do we feel in front of this humanity? Are we interested, or is it enough to think about our little world, our little garden? Do we care that so many young people today do not know what values are worth risking their lives for, a youth that is in disbandment, immersed in an immense sadness that then tries to cover it with false joy, a youth that confuses joy with pleasure, partying with drunkenness? Maybe I'm exaggerating a little, but don't we often see a youth cajoled by touts and influencers who pass off vanities and insults as a new vision of the world and life? What do we feel before this reality of the world? Do we feel the passion that is revealed in Jesus?
Also, about the ecclesial reality of today, do we see it, or don't we see it? What do we feel in the face of so many abandonments, the spread of secularism, the scandals, and the collapse of religious practice in the West? Do we feel the emotion of Jesus' love? Do we feel the ecclesial problems as our own, or do we think they only concern the hierarchy?
Let us now listen to what Jesus says to those whom he wants to involve as collaborators in his work of salvation:
“The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few, so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”
Let us clarify who the co-workers are that Jesus wants to imply because there is a whole tradition that leads to identifying them with priests, religious men, and women. The Church certainly needs these people who consecrate their entire life to the Church to serve the Gospel and of the brothers and sisters and even renounce having their own families precisely to be available to all. However, restricting reaping to this category of Christians is wrong. This would lead to considering God's people as a flock of stray sheep or a harvest that is being lost for lack of workers, i.e., priests. Not so.
Jesus addresses each disciple whom he invites to contemplate the harvest to be reaped; they are the ones who experience his passion and love for humanity. What does Jesus want to tell us with this image? That the harvest is ripe, humanity is ready to accept the Gospel. We think things are not like that, and we are discouraged, repeating, ‘It is not worth proclaiming the Gospel because people are not interested in God; they only think about money, to have a good time, to have fun.' Maybe it is true, but it is this humanity, with all its contradictions and miseries, that we must address because Jesus tells us it is ready and ripe for the Gospel. This is humanity as it is.
The problem is that laborers are lacking, and Jesus is correct; let us ask ourselves how many there are who feel his same passion of love for humanity. They are few, so what is to be done? Jesus suggests: "Ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” This prayer poses difficulties for us because we ask ourselves why we should ask the owner to send laborers. He should be the first to be interested in the problem; why should we ask for it? This question is asked by those who have not understood what it means to pray. It doesn't mean repeating formulas; it doesn't mean trying to convince God to do his part. God already does his part; he already does it very well. Prayer is not trying to persuade God to do what we ask; prayer puts us in tune with his thoughts; real prayer makes us internalize his passion for love for humanity. In listening to his word and in the dialogue with him, we understand how just and beautiful his plan of love is, and the Spirit gives us the strength to do the work that Jesus wants us to do.
The workers are very few; we know it because we pray little; we do not pray; it is not that we do not repeat formulas, we do it, and even too many, but because we do not allow ourselves to be interiorized in the thought and love of Christ.
Let us now listen to what task Jesus entrusted to us:
“Then he summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness.”
There are two tasks that Jesus asks us to carry out: to cast out unclean spirits and to heal all kinds of sicknesses and diseases. Let us observe that this is precisely what he did throughout his life: cast out demons and heal the sick. This means that we are called to give continuity to his work of salvation and to carry out this mission, he gives us the power to perform wonders and expel the unclean spirits. Unclean in the Bible means everything contrary to life. What prevents us from living happily as brothers in this world? They are the demons; let's identify them, let's call them by their name: they are called envy, jealousy, hatred, grudges, desires always to possess more goods, to dominate, to enslave others. These demons create a ruthless world where the other is seen as a rival, an enemy, not as a brother or sister to love. These demons must be cast out, and where will they be found? In the heart of each person, we are all possessed.
And also "to cure every disease and every illness.” It does not consist in the power to perform miracles as we imagine. No. Diseases must be overcome, and that's why the true disciple puts all his abilities so that people be physically healthy, not suffering; pain must be overcome, but it is not only physical diseases that afflict humanity; society is sick and needs to be cured where there is no freedom, where there is no justice, where the dignity of women is not respected; society is sick where violence is committed, where there is moral corruption; over these evils, Jesus gives us the power and authority to overcome them.
Let us ask ourselves if we are aware of the power that Jesus has left us and what this power is. It is the power of the word, of the Gospel, which has in itself the divine force of the Spirit, and evil cannot resist this power. And now, we are presented with the list of the first workers who have given their adhesion to the Master; let us listen to their names:
“The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew, the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus and Thaddeus; Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.”
What can we observe in this list of names that perhaps we skim without giving them too much importance? We observe first that there are twelve; this is a reference to the twelve tribes of Israel, and it means that the Christian community is not called to replace Israel but is a daughter of Israel, the ripe fruit of this tree that God came to cultivate throughout the centuries.
Let us note that the names are listed in two order: Peter and Andrew, James and John, and Philip and Bartholomew. It means that the mission is not the work of individuals but of a community, and to be a community, it must be at least two persons; even if an individual proclaims the Gospel personally, he must always feel part of a community, sent by a community. We also observe that in the composition of this group are the most standard and ordinary people; there are no outstanding people from a cultural point of view; there are no scribes or rabbis; and even from the moral point of view, they have their defects and limitations. One is a tax collector; another will not allow himself to be converted and, in the end, will deliver the Master. In short, they, too, are sinners. One day, Peter will recognize this and say, "Jesus, depart from me, for I am a sinner." In other words, they are not different from us; they are ordinary people, very typical like us.
Now, let's listen to the area where they will have to carry out their mission and how they will do it. Let's listen:
“Jesus sent out these twelve after instructing them thus, Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, and drive out demons. Without cost, you have received; without cost, you are to give.”
We have heard Jesus define the scope in which this first group of his co-workers, the twelve, are called to carry out their mission; they are sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. This may surprise us because we expect him to send them to all people. No, this will happen after Easter, when the Risen One on the mountain will say to his Apostles: "Go and make disciples among all peoples. I will be with you always, even to the end of the world." Therefore, it is not a question of exclusion of the pagans, but the pedagogy of God who wanted the blessings promised to Abraham, salvation, to reach the whole world, to all peoples through Israel. And Israel, therefore, is the first to receive the Gospel.
Then Jesus, having again reminded the disciples of the tasks they were to do, heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons, makes a critical recommendation: Carry out your mission in complete detachment from personal interests and advantages because, otherwise, the message would immediately lose credibility: "Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”
I wish you all a good Sunday and a good week.
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