Father Jorge Miró shares with Exaudi readers his commentary on this Gospel, Sunday, July 14, 2024, titled “Called to live a life of relationship and friendship with the Lord.”
***
All life is a vocation, a call from God. You exist because God loves you, has called you to life, and continues to call you every day. And, as the second reading says, God calls you to be holy and to be a son. Therefore, every day you need to listen to the Lord: May you hear the voice of the Lord today, do not harden your heart! And every day you are called to respond to the Lord, to live a life of relationship and friendship with the Lord, to live discipleship.
And the Word reminds us that the Church is called to announce the Gospel: we are missionary disciples.
The mission of Christ and the Holy Spirit is carried out in the Church, Body of Christ and Temple of the Holy Spirit. The mission of the Church is not added to that of Christ and the Holy Spirit, but is its sacrament: with all its being and in all its members it has been sent to announce and bear witness (cf. Catechism 737 s. ).
The entire Church is apostolic as long as it remains, through the successors of Saint Peter and the apostles, in communion of faith and life with its origin. The entire Church is apostolic insofar as she is “sent” to the entire world. All members of the Church, although in different ways, have a part in this sending.
Jesus sends them two by two: they are to be witnesses; non-lecturers, who speak of merely learned knowledge; nor “gossipers”, who speak from hearsay. The authentic announcement of the gospel is to attest that the word of Jesus has eternal life, to attest that God exists and acts in everyday life, to attest that the Gospel is, truly, good news.
Jesus sends them purely gratuitously. They must not trust in human means, but in the name of Jesus. They should not worry about success. Likewise, they must testify to their absolute trust in God, who takes care of the disciple. His life will thus be a sign that the Kingdom of God has arrived in Jesus.
They must preach conversion, expel demons and heal the sick. The three things go together. They cannot be separated. Preaching must be accompanied by the healing of the sick, physical and spiritual healing. These healings will be a sign of a greater gift: announcement of the new life, which comes from the Lord, and preannouncement of the resurrection and eternal life to which God calls us.
And also to expel demons: all the lies and deceptions that induce man to doubt the love of God and want to take his place: arrogance, pride, hatred, greed… are subdued, defeated and converted by the power of the Word of Jesus Christ and the gift of his Spirit.
How is the Lord asking you today to announce the good news of the Gospel?
Come Holy Spirit! (cf. Luke 11, 13).
Called to live a life of relationship and friendship with the Lord: Commentary Fr. Jorge Miró
Sunday, July 14, 2024
15th of Ordinary Time
Father Jorge Miró shares with Exaudi readers his commentary on this Gospel, Sunday, July 14, 2024, titled “Called to live a life of relationship and friendship with the Lord.”
***
All life is a vocation, a call from God. You exist because God loves you, has called you to life, and continues to call you every day. And, as the second reading says, God calls you to be holy and to be a son. Therefore, every day you need to listen to the Lord: May you hear the voice of the Lord today, do not harden your heart! And every day you are called to respond to the Lord, to live a life of relationship and friendship with the Lord, to live discipleship.
And the Word reminds us that the Church is called to announce the Gospel: we are missionary disciples.
The mission of Christ and the Holy Spirit is carried out in the Church, Body of Christ and Temple of the Holy Spirit. The mission of the Church is not added to that of Christ and the Holy Spirit, but is its sacrament: with all its being and in all its members it has been sent to announce and bear witness (cf. Catechism 737 s. ).
The entire Church is apostolic as long as it remains, through the successors of Saint Peter and the apostles, in communion of faith and life with its origin. The entire Church is apostolic insofar as she is “sent” to the entire world. All members of the Church, although in different ways, have a part in this sending.
Jesus sends them two by two: they are to be witnesses; non-lecturers, who speak of merely learned knowledge; nor “gossipers”, who speak from hearsay. The authentic announcement of the gospel is to attest that the word of Jesus has eternal life, to attest that God exists and acts in everyday life, to attest that the Gospel is, truly, good news.
Jesus sends them purely gratuitously. They must not trust in human means, but in the name of Jesus. They should not worry about success. Likewise, they must testify to their absolute trust in God, who takes care of the disciple. His life will thus be a sign that the Kingdom of God has arrived in Jesus.
They must preach conversion, expel demons and heal the sick. The three things go together. They cannot be separated. Preaching must be accompanied by the healing of the sick, physical and spiritual healing. These healings will be a sign of a greater gift: announcement of the new life, which comes from the Lord, and preannouncement of the resurrection and eternal life to which God calls us.
And also to expel demons: all the lies and deceptions that induce man to doubt the love of God and want to take his place: arrogance, pride, hatred, greed… are subdued, defeated and converted by the power of the Word of Jesus Christ and the gift of his Spirit.
How is the Lord asking you today to announce the good news of the Gospel?
Come Holy Spirit! (cf. Luke 11, 13).
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