Saturday of 1st week of Advent “When Jesus saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected like sheep without a shepherd.”
Seeing the crowds gathered together there in front of him, Jesus feels moved right down to his very soul. He is here before disarray and the fatigue of people of his time, broken, discouraged,…. Now, what Jesus prefers most in his Heart, is the Salvation of mankind. And yet, there is a combat in each person for it is a question of knowing whether or not we are going to let God come into our lives.
The Pharisees choose deliberately to get away from Christ, but the real issue is rather about placing him in the centre of their life.What Jesus cannot reach, can not be healed or bought back. In our combats, in our weaknesses and temptations we are quite aware of this truth that we shall be confronted to the same choices : to live with our miseries in solitude or to abandon ourselves to Christ who has ’come so that we may have life and have it overflowing in us.’ And so, following Jesus in great gentleness and humility, we want to open up a way of Salvation for the suffering people we encounter. If we follow the Way of Life with Him, the same powers of God’s love that animated him is given to us. It is with Him, through him and in Him that we work as though working through the Father. Jesus was plunged into his world of violence and obscurity and the Reality of the Cross is already present when we are getting ready to celebrate Christmas. Plunged in the Tenderness and the Goodness of our Father, we are in solidarity with our People and we feel the same need of liberation for our people as Jesus felt, so that his people may enter into a state of Joy.
“Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to drive them out and to cure all kinds of disease and all kinds of illness.”
In a world in disarray where nothing seems to hold out for very long, Jesus reminds us of the Presence of the One who is at he source of all things.The primary vocation of the Twelve will be that of prayer. First of all it is a question
of reassuring the personnel link that is also an explicit one, with the Heart of God : ’ Pray therefore the Master of the harvest to send labourers for the harvest’. We ask to see with the eyes of Christ, there are countless people who wait for Jesus to be announced to them. The Mission the Father commended and for which he has been sent is transmitted to us.
’Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and all kinds of illnesses.’
Jesus is sorry with us. He comes as in former times on our paths today, just as he did with his disciples. Jesus invites us to lend a hefty hand for the harvest to come about, in order to ensure that shepherds aren’t lacking in the Church. Today, he gives us his Holy Spirit as he gave it to his apostles so we bring about a work of Peace. And so Jesus continues his Way of life with us.
“As you go, proclaim that the kingdom of Heaven is close at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those suffering from virulent skin diseases, drive out devils. Freely your received, freely give.”
Jesus chose twelve men without any influence. They came from various backgrounds and they let themselves be drawn by Jesus’ Word. They walk with him on the road. Jesus will make pastors of them according to the Heart of God.
He sends them ’to heal the sick, bring the dead back to life, cleans the lepers, drive out devils, proclaim that the kingdom of God is near.’
The quality of the one who is sent is found in the disinterested attitude he has. The life of those who are sent will be the first announcement that will be able to heal. This life comes from a gift and is a response to a call that became the base of a civilization that gave our world more humanity. It remains the reference that is always aimed at awakening generosity, encouraging a spirit of gratuity, the only behaviour that can shift the centre of interest of mankind outside of himself. Jesus has us share in the luminosity of his Life by giving to us a happiness that comes from God. We too have been plunged into the distress of our People, but the Love of God has been spread in our hearts for us to bring about a fraternal community where the poor one will have first place. God wants nothing to do with a oppressed humanity that is a prey to hatred; He wants happiness for humanity.