Thoughts for the Day

He went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him. And he appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, and to be sent out to proclaim the message, and to have authority to cast out demons. So he appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); James son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

(Church in Wales Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Jesus had many followers, men and women, but he specifically named twelve men to take his message to the people. They are not given authority to forgive sins, but are to heal and cast out demons. They have different experiences, some are fishermen, one a zealot wanting to change society, and another a tax collector. The names of those chosen differ very slightly in the different gospels, for example Bartholomew is called Nathaniel in Matthew's Gospel.

One thing we can learn from this episode is that we too, as Christians, are called to exist in community. You cannot be a Christian on your own (well not unless you choose to be an anchorite in a cell, and then you would be supported by a community). Being a Christian is about being part of a community, learning to exist with others, to rubb off your rough edges, and love those you find difficult.

Lord Jesus,
help us to learn to work together
with other christians,
to listen to them;
to appreciate our differences;
and to take Your gospel of love
to others around us.
Amen.