He went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him. And he appointed 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.
So he appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); James son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. Mark 3:13-19
Let’s notice the obvious stuff going on here…
Jesus goes up on a mountain (like Moses did.)
Jesus “called to him those whom he wanted” (like God called Moses, assuring him that Aaron would be along to help him.)
Jesus appointed twelve (like the twelve tribes of Israel.)
He names them “apostles” which means “sent out ones.”
He says these twelve would both be with him (a close community) and be sent out (to touch the wider community.)
They would use words (proclaim the message) and they would perform actions which would bring those words to life (cast out demons.)
And then we get the names. Some we recognize and some we think “I don’t think I ever heard of Thaddaeus before….” And always we are surprised to see that Judas Iscariot made the cut given his ultimate role in betraying Jesus. Quite the cast of characters.
When you were baptized, your name was linked to God’s name. You were marked. You were called. You were set aside and you were sent out. YOU are the apostles sent into the world today. Sure, Peter is a big Christian name….but you will touch the lives of dozens of people today in and through your daily work that Peter can’t. Because Peter is dead but you remain alive in Christ!
YOU are the one given the responsibility today to use your words in assuring people they are worthy of God’s love and capable of affecting the world toward justice and wholeness.
YOU are not an accident or a mistake. God needed you in the world to be you in the world and today I invite you to see yourself the latest in the long list of disciples that Mark began and is still being added to in our age.
YOU are the one and NOW is the time. Claim it. Own it. Act like it. Be it.
Let us pray: Sometimes Lord we can’t help but think that you are either a little crazy or maybe a little sloppy. Surely you could have done better than us. Peter, we get, but Judas? But me? But people I always disagree with? They are on the team too? Yes, Lord, we know you have called us into your mystical body. May we be ambassadors of your love sent into your world today.
Daily Devotions 
September 19, 2019 at 11:10 am |
Needed words. Thank you for sharing!!