Newsletter -Eleventh Sunday of the Year A – 18th June 2023

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This Sunday’s First Reading is taken from Exodus 19:2-6: God tells Moses that the Israelites will be his special people. Our Responsorial Psalm is from Psalm 100: We are the people of God. The Second Reading is from Romans 5:6-11: Christ died for us while we were still sinners and reconciled us to God. This week’s Gospel Reading is Matthew 9:36-10: Jesus sends the twelve apostles to proclaim
the kingdom of heaven.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus shares his mission to proclaim the kingdom of heaven with his disciples. The signs of the kingdom’s presence consist of the work that Jesus has already been doing: the sick are cured, lepers are cleansed, demons are driven out, and the dead are raised to life. The disciples are sent to continue doing the work that Jesus has begun. This is a moment of transition in Matthew’s Gospel.
The Gospel reports that Jesus commissions twelve disciples. Many scholars believe that the twelve disciples symbolize the twelve tribes of Israel. It designates, therefore, continuity between Israel and the Church. Matthew lists the names of the twelve disciples, as do Mark and Luke. Matthew also uses the word apostle when referring to the Twelve. The word apostle means “one who is sent.” In this context, Matthew is calling attention to the mission that the twelve disciples are being given. They are sent by Jesus to proclaim the kingdom of heaven in word and deed.
As Jesus sent his disciples to continue his work and mission, so too the Church is sent by Jesus. The Church is his continuing presence on earth. Every member of the Church is sent by Jesus to contribute to this mission.

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