THE WORD
Eph 2: 19–22 / Lk 6: 12–16
In those days he departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called a Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
IN OTHER WORDS
If the twelve apostles have applied for employment in today’s modern church institutions, they would not have been accepted for the job, for they are neither rabbis nor religious scholars; they are simple fishermen and government accountants. Some have suspicious backgrounds like zealots or rebels. If the apostles were to undergo strict job examinations today, most of them would not meet the expected academic standards.
But the apostles are not simply ordinary followers of Jesus. There were lots of disciples or students following Jesus, but the apostles were those whom one might call the “top-twelve students,” to whom Jesus gave special assignments like preaching, baptising, exorcising and healing. And yet, the apostles seem like ordinary men without outstanding abilities.
Perhaps precisely because of this lack of religious superiority, Jesus has chosen this ragtag group to be his missionaries. The work requires a different set of skills. Jesus finds it more effective to send common men who know how to communicate effectively to ordinary folks, unhindered by complicated religious parlance. They can withstand difficulties in the journey because they are used to hard work and not spoiled by a life of comfort and privilege. Most importantly, the apostles are convinced believers in Jesus’ message of God’s kingdom. They are action-oriented men so extremely dedicated to their mission that they are even willing to sacrifice family life and leave their homeland.
These are the qualities that Jesus looks for his apostles. Discipleship is not based on the usual worldly standards characterized by ambition and self-profit. A missionary will be disappointed and eventually fail, if he thinks he can make a career and become rich out of his mission. Jesus senses the potentials of his chosen apostles. They have a strong sense of dedication and faith which can withstand doubts and difficulties. Jesus has chosen these men with varied personalities for the different needs of the mission. There is no single mold and patent recipe that everyone must follow. When Jesus calls you to be his missionary, you may be ordinary or even a nobody. But you are thereby somebody, one who can do the will of God in an extraordinary way.
- Simon Boiser, SVD (Hamburg, Germany)
The Word in other words 2015
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
