January 20, 2023
(St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr and St. Sebastian, Martyr)
This is the covenant I will establish with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds and I will write them upon their hearts. I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach, each one his fellow citizen and kin, saying, “Know the Lord,” for all shall know me, from least to greatest. Heb_8:6-13
Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him. He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles, that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.” Mk_3:13-19
The apostles were appointed with the authority to preach and to drive out demons. Today we see Jesus begin a very ‘human’ institution of higher Spiritual education that resulted in both certification and authority, not unlike our own systems that lead us to an M.D. or an R.N., a CPA or a B.S. Ed.
And just like our programs, Jesus began His with Training: with following and listening, with helping and getting ready for their own period of Residency, where, they would actually go out in teams to teach, and to heal, and to drive out demons.
And what they learned in the process, was that this missionary ‘Residency’ was not focused on making them look great or feel superior to everyone else, but its goal was to give all the glory to God, to Jesus.
And it all, finally, led to the big test. The test that would determine IF they were willing to let go of their pride enough to allow their teacher to prove to them that true leadership was not about self-glorification, but about serving others, about leading by example, regardless of how low that example might appear to the world: the M.D. cleaning bedpans, the nuclear physicist repairing faucets, and the CEO delivering mail.
And if they were willing to accept those conditions of Apostleship, then they would graduate with a meal, actually a banquet, and a Commission to move forward.
And so it happened.
Now, they were no longer neophytes, no longer merely disciples, and even more than just Apostles. With Jesus gone, they WERE, the teachers, the healers and the exorcists.
But just like the freshly graduated, and even the seasoned M.D.s, their learning was far from over. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, they needed to learn how to grow through the persecutions and the calamities of the world. They needed to learn, not only how to be a part of the world, with a demand of integrity beyond anything they ever knew before, but they also needed to separate themselves from the world’s natural human drive towards sin, by bonding themselves ever-closer to God.
It was a very challenging tightrope. And we’ve seen plenty of examples of successes and failures throughout history, and in our own lifetimes. The story of Apostolic Succession shows us just that diversity, right from the very start. From Peter’s impetuous nature to John’s romantic. From Thomas’ ‘prove it’ scientific attitude, to Judas’ ‘my way’ independence.
And yet, no matter what their disposition or talents, no matter what their drawbacks or faults, they each had something to offer to this newly founded Church of ours; just as WE do, too.
God promised the Prophet Jeremiah that He would write His Law on our hearts and in our minds. He promised that EVERYONE will know Him, from the greatest to the least of us. And yet, you know, after a few thousand years, we might still be wondering when that’s ever going to happen.
Jesus had to teach the Apostles. The Apostles and their successors had to teach us. And we’re still trying to teach the Judases, the Thomases, and the Attila the Huns of our world the meaning of God’s Love.
And, you know what? In the end all that will really matter is reaching that eternal banquet ourselves. Not that we don’t want EVERYONE we know to join us. We truly do!
All we need to do is teach them how to read.
Because it really is written in every one of our hearts.
LOVE!
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Whispers to the Wind 