DREAMING TOGETHER
(Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time-B)
The gospel reading for the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time talks about Jesus sending his disciples on a mission. Mission is an inseparable part of discipleship. As John Paul II put it rightly, faith remains incomplete if it is not shared. The notion of mission runs throughout Scripture. For example, Abraham had a mission to fulfill. His mission was to bring blessings to the nations (Genesis 12: 2-3). Like any other prophets, Amos also had a mission to fulfill. The first reading deals with the mission of Amos (Amos 7:12-15). The Gospel talks about the dynamics of evangelization (Mark 7:6-13).
Even though, the central theme of the reading is Mission, what struck me, however, is the way Jesus sent his disciples on the mission. Mark says’ “Jesus summoned the twelve and began to send them out two by two.” Jesus sent them in twos. No one was sent alone. People may interpret it differently. The testimonies of two people bring authenticity to the message. This could be a possible reason for dispatching them in twos. The journey that the disciples were on was through a rough route. The need for companionship or mutual support could be another reason for this particular gesture of Jesus. A deeper reflection on this topic, however, brings forth a few more insights into the discussion.
Evangelization is Team Work, not a One Man Show…!
I remember a discussion that I had with a Seminary Rector some years ago, he said: “The number one criterion I use in evaluating a candidate for priesthood is whether he has the ability to get along with other Seminarians; whether he can work together.” I thought it was an interesting norm for evaluation. This is true precisely because of the nature of the message and the message is communion and fellowship.’ It is a message of dreaming together. A seminarian who could not work with his fellow seminarian is unfit to become a priest as he is called to represent Christ, the great reconciler and mediator. This is equally applicable to any messenger of Christ. A disciple is not called to walk alone but work together for the glory of God.
Evangelization is more than preaching, it is living the Gospel…!
The world does not need any more preachers. It is desperately looking for doers. Jesus wanted his disciples to show the world what does it means to be Christian in concrete terms. Jesus expected from his disciples more than preaching but living the Gospel. When Jesus sent them in groups, probably this was what he had in mind. Jesus emphasized this point right from the beginning of his ministry. The very first act Jesus did after his baptism was to form a group of disciples. The last thing Jesus did before the crucifixion was the institution of the Eucharist, the perfect symbol of fellowship. The first thing Jesus did after his resurrection was to gather together the scattered disciples. Working together is the concrete expression of living the Christian message that is a message of love. I know a Bishop in North India who has a novel method of evangelization. He invites Christian families from South India to come and live with non-Christians for a couple a years. The Bishop believes that the non-Christian families will get inspired by the life style of Christian families. Like Francis of Assisi said’ “Preach the Gospel all the time but use word only when it is necessary.””
The Challenges of working together…!
Working together is not easy in a situation where people want to put their thumb impression on everything they do. The question of who gets the credit can interfere with ministry. People who prefer a ‘One Man Show’ preach not Jesus but self. They attract people to themselves not to God. Hence, Jesus instructed them to focus on him alone and not depend on anything else on their journey. He also told them not to waste time trying to impress upon others. “If any one does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there…”. Our goal must be to remain holy and without blemish before God (Ephesians 1: 3).
If you look at any group, you may find four categories of people. Four different kinds of roles displayed in any given group. There are leaders, contributors, spectators and critics. Everybody may not possess the ability for leadership. People who are good at certain areas may not be effective in a different field. Problems arise when people compete for positions/ power. They do this as they count success as the norm for greatness. The truth is that it is not success but faithfulness that matters in the Kingdom of God. There is, however, a role that anybody can play, the role of a contributor. Everybody can be a contributor. It does not require much. For example, supporting a good idea is an example of contribution. The other two roles are destructive. While spectators (sleepers) weaken the strength of a community, critics often destroy it.
The important question one needs to ask is: Am I a team player and how do I contribute to build up the Body of Christ? For a body to function normally, every member of the body has to play its role. How does my life reflect my mission/ role?
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Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success. (Henry Ford)
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(Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time-B)
The gospel reading for the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time talks about Jesus sending his disciples on a mission. Mission is an inseparable part of discipleship. As John Paul II put it rightly, faith remains incomplete if it is not shared. The notion of mission runs throughout Scripture. For example, Abraham had a mission to fulfill. His mission was to bring blessings to the nations (Genesis 12: 2-3). Like any other prophets, Amos also had a mission to fulfill. The first reading deals with the mission of Amos (Amos 7:12-15). The Gospel talks about the dynamics of evangelization (Mark 7:6-13).
Even though, the central theme of the reading is Mission, what struck me, however, is the way Jesus sent his disciples on the mission. Mark says’ “Jesus summoned the twelve and began to send them out two by two.” Jesus sent them in twos. No one was sent alone. People may interpret it differently. The testimonies of two people bring authenticity to the message. This could be a possible reason for dispatching them in twos. The journey that the disciples were on was through a rough route. The need for companionship or mutual support could be another reason for this particular gesture of Jesus. A deeper reflection on this topic, however, brings forth a few more insights into the discussion.
Evangelization is Team Work, not a One Man Show…!
I remember a discussion that I had with a Seminary Rector some years ago, he said: “The number one criterion I use in evaluating a candidate for priesthood is whether he has the ability to get along with other Seminarians; whether he can work together.” I thought it was an interesting norm for evaluation. This is true precisely because of the nature of the message and the message is communion and fellowship.’ It is a message of dreaming together. A seminarian who could not work with his fellow seminarian is unfit to become a priest as he is called to represent Christ, the great reconciler and mediator. This is equally applicable to any messenger of Christ. A disciple is not called to walk alone but work together for the glory of God.
Evangelization is more than preaching, it is living the Gospel…!
The world does not need any more preachers. It is desperately looking for doers. Jesus wanted his disciples to show the world what does it means to be Christian in concrete terms. Jesus expected from his disciples more than preaching but living the Gospel. When Jesus sent them in groups, probably this was what he had in mind. Jesus emphasized this point right from the beginning of his ministry. The very first act Jesus did after his baptism was to form a group of disciples. The last thing Jesus did before the crucifixion was the institution of the Eucharist, the perfect symbol of fellowship. The first thing Jesus did after his resurrection was to gather together the scattered disciples. Working together is the concrete expression of living the Christian message that is a message of love. I know a Bishop in North India who has a novel method of evangelization. He invites Christian families from South India to come and live with non-Christians for a couple a years. The Bishop believes that the non-Christian families will get inspired by the life style of Christian families. Like Francis of Assisi said’ “Preach the Gospel all the time but use word only when it is necessary.””
The Challenges of working together…!
Working together is not easy in a situation where people want to put their thumb impression on everything they do. The question of who gets the credit can interfere with ministry. People who prefer a ‘One Man Show’ preach not Jesus but self. They attract people to themselves not to God. Hence, Jesus instructed them to focus on him alone and not depend on anything else on their journey. He also told them not to waste time trying to impress upon others. “If any one does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there…”. Our goal must be to remain holy and without blemish before God (Ephesians 1: 3).
If you look at any group, you may find four categories of people. Four different kinds of roles displayed in any given group. There are leaders, contributors, spectators and critics. Everybody may not possess the ability for leadership. People who are good at certain areas may not be effective in a different field. Problems arise when people compete for positions/ power. They do this as they count success as the norm for greatness. The truth is that it is not success but faithfulness that matters in the Kingdom of God. There is, however, a role that anybody can play, the role of a contributor. Everybody can be a contributor. It does not require much. For example, supporting a good idea is an example of contribution. The other two roles are destructive. While spectators (sleepers) weaken the strength of a community, critics often destroy it.
The important question one needs to ask is: Am I a team player and how do I contribute to build up the Body of Christ? For a body to function normally, every member of the body has to play its role. How does my life reflect my mission/ role?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success. (Henry Ford)
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