Today’s gospel: Matthew 9:35-10:8
Jesus tells his disciples, “Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (v.10:6). Today, 99 of the 100 sheep are lost. They are the lapsed, cultural and fallen-away Catholics. They must be of primary concern for the Church.
Unfortunately, there are also many Church authorities who themselves are lost. They have lost their way, embracing modernism. How then can the shepherd pastor the sheep? They are supposed to do what Jesus did (v.9:35). But do they?
Jesus taught in the synagogues.
Modernists teach what is contrary to Jesus’ teachings or the age-old teachings of the Church. They give false teaching such as gays are born that way, or that same-sex unions can be blessed, or that grave unrepentant sinners can be given Holy Communion.
Modernists distort authentic teachings, such as saying that the miracle of the multiplication of loaves and fish was just people sharing what they had brought, or that the sin of Sodom was not sodomy but inhospitality to strangers.
Modernists reject the uniqueness of the one true Church that Jesus established, saying all religions are ways to the divine.
Jesus proclaimed the gospel of the Kingdom.
Modernists proclaim the gospel of man, looking to the well-being of man, but neglecting the righteousness of God.
Modernists say we should not proselytize, that is, make converts. Thus is the Church made to lose her evangelistic zeal and her very reason for existence, which is to do mission.
Modernists proclaim the gospel of social justice but no longer emphasize the salvation that only comes in Jesus, necessitating repentance and turning to faith in him.
Jesus cured every disease and illness.
Modernists practice political correctness, that is, just accepting and embracing the sinner but not talking about his sin, thus keeping him in sin.
Modernists describe the Church as a field hospital, and rightly so. But the wounded and ill are just brought to the hospital to be welcomed and made comfortable, but without treating the wound or illness.
Modernists allow grave public sinners like pro-aborts to claim they are devout and to receive Holy Communion, thus making them comfortable in their sin, thus they end up losing their souls.
We need to recover the Church’s missionary mandate. We need to see the crowds and be moved with pity for them who are troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd (v.9:36). We need to go “around to all the towns and villages” (v.9:35a), to the very ends of the earth.
We are to “cure the sick” (v.10:8a). Sin is sickness. It is illness of mind, emotion and spirit. Jesus came to heal, and it is in him that people are brought out of illness into fullness of vibrant life in God.
We are to “raise the dead” (v.10:8b). Grave unrepentant sinners are the walking dead. If they die in their sin, they go to hell. Jesus brings life, and with it, eternal life in heaven.
We are to “cleanse lepers” (v.10:8c). Sin is grave stain on a person. Grave sin excludes the sinner from the Kingdom. But when people repent, they are forgiven by God and cleansed of their sin, and restored to fellowship with the Father.
We are to “drive out demons” (v.10:8d). Sin and rebellion against God are the work of the evil one. Demons are committed to the ruin of souls. But people rightfully belong to God and not to the devil. With evangelization, we engage in spiritual war, and drive out the forces of the enemy.
With all the above, then we can truly proclaim, “The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (v.10:7).
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