Wednesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Intention: For the Brothers of our District as they continue their annual retreat this week.
Today’s Gospel | Matthew 10:1-7
Jesus summoned his Twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness. The names of the Twelve Apostles are these: first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus.
Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus, “Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”
From the Fourteenth Meditation for the Time of Retreat | Saint John Baptist de La Salle
Do you believe, perhaps, that you are responsible for your disciples only during the time of school, that your vigilance need not extend to their behavior outside of school in order to help them, as far as you are able, to live everywhere in a Christian manner and not associate with bad companions during the entire time they are under your guidance? To give an account for their souls means to give an account of everything that concerns their salvation; to watch exactly means to watch over everything with diligence, omitting and neglecting nothing.
Prayer
Eternal Father, your Son gathered his disciples and sent them forth so that the Kingdom of God might touch others through them. We pray today for open hearts and minds to hear his call to do the same in our own world. Help us to be your voice as you gather us into the wholeness of your love. Grant that, through our words and actions, we will fulfill well our duty to love one another and to care for all, especially those who are most in need of welcome and healing. We ask this of you who lives and reigns with your Son and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.