By Ishongkun Kurbah csc –
Readings: Heb 12: 18-19, 21-24; Mk 6: 7-13
In Mark 3:14- Jesus appointed the twelve whom he also named ‘apostles’ to be with him and to be sent out to proclaim the message, and to have authority to cast out demons. The actualization of the ministry takes place in today’s gospel. The apostles went out proclaiming that all should repent.
They cast out demons and cured the sick. But this was only the beginning of the ‘Calling’ and the ‘Sending’ for the mission continues even today. And the process that Jesus utilizes is the same. He calls us: to be with him first and then to be sent out for the mission. ‘To be with him’ is primarily important. It is the basis that underlies the ‘To be sent out.’ Being loved leads to loving others. We need to be loved and experience love in order to love.
Similarly we need to be with Jesus first before we start preaching him and his message to others. Can we experience him without being with him? No. Therefore, to experience him we need to be with him. And it is Jesus actually who takes the first step; he wants to be with us just like he wanted to be with the apostles. Jesus wants to form and heal us and fill us with his love and peace so that when we are filled with the experience of Jesus, we can be the bearers of Good News like the apostles. We can proclaim his message because we have heard it from him; we can heal others because we have received healing from him. We can heal others through our words and actions or just by our presence beside the person who needs healing.
Honestly, with our infirmity and fragility we cannot be whole and remain intact all the time. Healers need to be healed because as human we will experience brokenness, sickness, and dryness in our life. But if we are in constant touch with Jesus, we will be made whole and empowered to continue the mission of Christ the ultimate healer and lover.