Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.
These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
I received a great piece of advice from my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Oliver, on the day of my high school graduation in 2017. “Michael, when something isn’t working right, look at yourself first.” By this, I think she was insinuating this idea of “don’t be lazy.” It is spectacularly easy to blame and judge others when circumstances go awry. It is much less strenuous to say, “they should have done this instead,” or, “if they had only…”
It is not as easy to shepherd people in our close-knit circle. Fear of ridicule and conflict can often prevent me from speaking up when the deepest part of my heart knows that I should. Jesus calls me in today’s Gospel to give particular attention to the needs of my own community, which includes myself. When the world needs mercy and love, change myself, my actions, and those near to me first, before criticizing others.
—Michael Petterson is a senior at the University of Michigan and is an active member of St. Mary Student Parish in Ann Arbor, MI.
Show, O Lord, Thy ways to me,
and teach me Thy paths.
Direct me in Thy truth, and teach me;
for Thou art God my Savior.
—St. Peter Faber, SJ
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