Jesus calls His 12 Apostles to the mission to evangelize. Every Catholic man can grow in happiness by building the Virtue of Observance so he can justly honor the Apostles and Catholic bishops and by growing in the Virtue of Duty so he can be the heroic sacrificial leader of his family.
Liturgy
14th Week in Ordinary time – Wednesday – Mt 10:1-7
Commentary
After telling the disciples to pray for the “Lord of the Harvest” to send workers (Mt 9:36), Jesus immediately sends them, commissioning them in His Missionary Sermon (Mt 10). Having demonstrated His authority over Creation, Jesus launches the next phase of His effort to evangelize all nations by delegating His authority to 12 hand-picked men; the Apostles (meaning “to be sent”) are granted authority and supernatural power to cast out demons and cure every disease and illness among the Israelites.
Jesus’ selection of 12 Jewish men as His Apostles is purposeful. God heavily invested in His chosen Jewish people over the millennia, and converted Jews who become Catholics, will form the strong early foundation of His Holy Catholic Church; picking 12 Jewish men symbolically signals the Jews’ prominent role in Jesus’ Kingdom. Jesus’ choice to exclusively ordain men continues God’s historical decision to only call men to be His priests who lead His people, confirms only men will be priests in His Holy Catholic Church, and emphasizes the centrality of male leadership in building families and the Kingdom of God. By mentioning Peter first, Jesus signals His intention for Peter to be the first pope of His Holy Catholic Church. Judas is mentioned last for he will betray Jesus.
Jesus’ words have deep connections to the fall of man at Eden. By announcing, “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand”, Jesus seeks to reestablish the divine order that existed at Eden. Demons, the followers of the Serpent of Eden, are to be cast out. Jesus vehemently warns His men of the life and death consequences of their mission, telling them to reach those who are being “utterly destroyed” or “violently perishing” (from the Greek, ἀπόλλυμι, poorly translated as “being lost”), an allusion to the pain, suffering, and eternal death that comes to those stuck in Original Sin from Eden.
Be awed by Jesus Christ
Marvel at how Jesus, the perfection of Prudence, identifies, recruits, prepares, commands, and supports the original “Band of Brothers”, the 12 Apostles, who successfully established His Holy Catholic Church, reaching billions of people, spanning the globe, and enduring forever.
Honor the Apostles and Catholic bishops
Realize: Jesus explicitly builds His Holy Catholic Church on the 12 Apostles.
Believe: Reflect upon the truth that the Church is Apostolic (CCC 857-870).
Pray: Jesus, Divine King, help me build the Virtue of Observance (a part of Justice) so that I honor and draw closer to the greatest men of all time, the Apostles, especially on their Feast Days, and remain loyal and obedient to their successors, the Bishops of the Catholic Church.
Be the heroic, sacrificial leader of your family
Realize: Despite modern opposition to the essential role of men as leaders, throughout salvation history, God has emphasized male headship: God is revealed as Father; God appoints men to lead Israel; the Son of God incarnates as Jesus; God establishes St. Joseph as the head of the Holy Family; Jesus selects men to establish and lead His Holy Catholic Church; God calls men to be “heads” of their families (Gen 3:16, 1 Cor 11:3, Eph 5:24, Col 3:18, 1 Pet 3:1, 1 Tim 2:11, Titus 2:4-5).
Believe: Reflect upon Male Leadership/Headship (CCC 50-64, 261-267, 1312, 1577, 2214, 2571).
Pray: Jesus, Son of Man, help me grow in the Virtue of Duty/Responsibility (a part of Justice) so I fearlessly accept the headship You have given me and do my sacred duty to lead my family as a husband and father; St. Joseph, head of the Holy Family, pray for me.