Jesus gives precise instructions for how the Apostles are to evangelize. Every Catholic man can grow in happiness by seeking the Virtue of Faith so he can always remember he is already living in the Kingdom of God and by building the Virtue of Chastity so he can grow in purity and pray for those enslaved to sexual sin.
Liturgy
14th Week in Ordinary time – Thursday – Mt 10:7-15
Commentary
After commissioning His Apostles to evangelize the 12 Tribes of Israel (Mt 10:1-7), Jesus continues His Missionary Sermon (Mt 10) by instructing the Apostles how to carry out their mission. Their mission is to announce that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand and, to “cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers and drive out demons.”
Jesus gives the Apostles the mindset an evangelist must have. They are to offer His gifts of healing without cost. They are to be completely reliant on Jesus to provide for them in their mission work, taking no money or provisions. Each evangelist is to be completely reliant on Jesus to provide for their sustenance.
Jesus then gives the Apostles precise tactical instructions upon entering a village. They are to identify a worthy man, build a relationship and stay with him in his home. They are to bless those who are willing to hear the Gospel and to publicly rebuke (to shake off the dust) those who are unwilling to receive the Gospel. Ominously, Jesus uses the utter destruction of Sodom for rampant homosexual sin (Gen 19:1-29) as a warning of the horrific punishment that will come to those who reject the Gospel, a reminder of God’s hatred of sin and a frightening sign of the absolute power of God and His willingness to use it to punish the perverse.
Be awed by Jesus Christ
Consider with holy fear, the fierceness of Jesus, the perfection of Justice and Divine Judge, as He builds His Kingdom: He calls the disciples to preach repentance, the turning away from evil towards the Father, a preview of the Sacrament of Penance; He instructs the disciples to seek out the “worthy”, a confirmation that He judges some as, “unworthy”; He instructs the disciples to Harshly Condemn those who fail to convert, cursing the unrepentant by shaking off dust; He explicitly warns the disciples of the coming Judgment, that failing to repent is more abominable than perverted sexual acts and that unrepentant will be justly obliterated by God, as Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by an apocalyptic storm of fire and brimstone.
Remember that you are already living in the Kingdom
Realize: Jesus’ first directive to the Apostles is to preach, “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand”; The Kingdom had arrived with Jesus and remains a reality, often unrecognized, in the world today.
Believe: Reflect upon the Kingdom of God/Heaven (CCC 541-550, 763-764, 2816-2821).
Pray: Jesus, Divine King, help you build the Virtue of Faith so I always remember and believe in the reality that I am already part of Your glorious Kingdom.
Seek Chastity and pray for all enslaved to sexual sin
Realize: While some have recently declared that homosexual acts are acceptable and not sinful, Jesus warns men of the grave sinfulness of homosexual acts by referring to God’s destruction of Sodom for homosexual acts multiple times (Mt 10:15, Mt 11:23-24; Lk 10:12, Lk 17:29); these“sins that cry to Heaven” (CCC 1867) have always been condemned as mortal sins (Rom 1:24-27, 1 Cor 6:9, 1 Tim 1:10, 2 Pet 2:6, Jude 1:7).
Believe: Reflect upon the Church’s unchanging teaching on Chastity and Homosexuality (CCC 2357-2359), The 6th Commandment (CCC 2331-2359), and The 9th Commandment (CCC 2514-2533).
Pray: Almighty Father, help me build the Virtue of Chastity (a part of Temperance) so I can better resist sexual sin and pray for all who are enslaved to sexual sin that they might find healing, freedom and happiness in You and Your Holy Catholic Church.