“JESUS GAVE THEM AUTHORITY…”

This chapter, (MT: 10:1) tells how Jesus sent the disciples out to preach in his name.  It also identifies the twelve Apostles by name and among them is Simon of Cana.  Who? Never heard of him.  Was he at the wedding?  Was he the wine steward?  These are unanswerable questions.  In Luke 8:1-3 where  he names the women in Jesus’ company, there is mention of Joanna, wife of Herod’s Chief Steward. How did that happen? Wouldn’t you love to know her story?  Again, we never will.  But the fact that they existed and are numbered among the earliest disciples of Jesus should give us heart.

We too, are his disciples and no one has ever heard of any of us either, but that is the best part.  We, like they, are the seeds of the faith for the future. Just because we never heard of them does not mean they were not responsible for the faith of many.   Since the Holy Spirit saw to it that their names are not forgotten we can be sure they were.  Peter, Mark, Timothy, Luke, John and Paul did not do it alone.  Everyone who was inspired to follow Christ had a role in spreading the Good News.

That inspiration of the Spirit exists today with all the power it ever had.  The Spirit never gives up, tires or loses interest.  Every follower of Jesus is urged by the Spirit to share the message. The problem is that we have learned to be immune to the call.  We have built up a wall of excuses behind which we hide. But somewhere, lost in antiquity, are the people who first fell in love with Jesus and from them we have our faith.  It’s tragic really, that we have the knowledge which could make lives worth living, which can help people know how much God loves them, which can strengthen them to face the future, but we hold back.  We think; “Who am I? I’m nobody. No one would listen to me”.

When you do think that, remember the names, Simon of Cana and Joanna of Jerusalem. Know that you have the same authority to preach in Jesus name as they had and most important is to believe that the Spirit, which urges you on, will remain with you to strengthen you no matter the outcome.

Blessings on you and on your summer.

Carol Lemelin  OPA