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Illustration: Icon of the Seventy Apostles (author: Ikonopisatelj)
Pope Francis Catechesis on Passion for Evangelization 7
Saint Peter’s Square Wednesday, 15 March 2023
Gospel Reflection
Luke (10:1-2) After this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to come.
And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; ask therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.
Catechesis. The passion for evangelization: the apostolic zeal of the believer 7.
1.The Second Vatican Council. 2. Being apostles in an apostolic Church
Dear brothers and sisters,
Let us continue the catechesis on the passion for evangelizing: not only on “evangelizing”, the passion for evangelizing and, in the school of Vatican Council II.
Let us try to understand better what it means to be “apostles” today.
The word “apostle” reminds us of the group of twelve disciples chosen by Jesus.
Sometimes we refer to some saints, or more generally the bishops, as “apostles”.
They are apostles, because they go in the name of Jesus.
But are we aware that being an apostle concerns every Christian?
Are we aware that it concerns each one of us?
In fact, we are called to be apostles – that is, ambassadors – in a Church that we profess in the Creed to be apostolic.
So, what does it mean to be apostles?
It means to be sent on a mission.
The event in which the Risen Christ sends his Apostles into the world, passing on to them the power he himself received from the Father and giving them his Spirit, is exemplary and fundamental.
We read in the Gospel of John: “Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me even so I have send you’. And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’” (John 20:21-22).
Another fundamental aspect of being an apostle is vocation
This has been the case from the beginning, when the Lord Jesus “called those whom he desired; and they came to him” (Mk 3:13).
He formed them as a group, and gave them the title of “apostles”, “He appointed twelve, to be with him and to be sent out to preach (cf. Mk 3:14). (see also footnote below on The Twelve Apostles Mt 10:1-42).
Saint Paul, in his letters, presents himself as “Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle”, that is, an envoy (1 Cor 1:1), and again, “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle” (Rm 1:1).
And he insists on the fact that he is “an apostle, not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead” (Gal 1:1); God called him from his mother’s womb to proclaim the gospel among the nations (Gal 1:15-16 – But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and had called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles).
The experience of the Twelve apostles and the testimony of Paul continue to challenges us today. They invite us to examine our attitudes, to examine our choices, to examine our decisions, on the basis of these fixed points: everything depends on a free call from God; God also chooses us for ministries that sometimes seem to exceed our capacities or do not correspond to our expectations; the call received as a free gift and must be responded gratuitously.
The (Vatican) Council says: “the Christian vocation, by its very nature, is also an apostolic vocation” (Decree Apostolicam actuositatem [AA], 2).
It is a common vocation, just as “ they share a common dignity as members from their regeneration in Christ, having the same filial grace and the same vocation to perfection; they have one salvation, one hope and one undivided charity” (Lumen gentium, 32).
It is a call that concerns both those who have received the Sacrament of Orders, consecrated persons, and all lay faithful, men or women: it is a call to all.
You, the treasure you have received with your Christian vocation, are obliged to give it: it is the dynamic nature of the vocation, the dynamic nature of life.
It is a call that enables you to carry out to your apostolic task actively and creatively, in a Church in which “there is a diversity of ministries but a unity of mission.
Christ entrusted to the Apostles and their successors the duty to teach, to sanctifying, and to govern in His name and power. But also the laity: all of you, the majority of you are laypeople.
The lay faithful also share in the priestly, prophetic and royal office of Christ, and therefore have their own share in the mission of the whole People of God in the Church and in the world” (AA, 2).
In this context, what does the Council mean by the collaboration of the laity with the hierarchy? How is it meant? Is it merely a strategic adaptation to new situations as they arise? Not at all, not at all: there is something more which transcends the contingencies of the moment and which retains its own value even for us.
The Church is like this, it is founded and apostolic.
In the context of the unity of the mission, the diversity of charisms and ministries must not lead to the creation of privileged categories within the ecclesial body.
There is no advancement here, and if the Christian life is understood as advancement, so that the one who is above dominates all the others because he has succeeded in climbing, this is not Christianity. That is pure paganism. The Christian vocation is not a promotion to climb, no! It is something else. It is a great thing because although some are in important positions by the will of Christ, perhaps doctors, “pastors and dispensers of mysteries on behalf of others, all share a true equality in dignity and in the activity common to all the faithful for the building up of the Body of Christ” (Lumen gentium, 32).
Who has more dignity in the Church: the Bishop, the priest? No, we are all Christians in the service of others. Who is more important in the Church: the religious sister or the common person, baptized, not baptized, the child, the bishop…?
They are all equal, we are equal and to think that one of the parties is more important than the others, to turn up one’s nose, it is a mistake. This is not the vocation of Jesus. The vocation that Jesus gives, to everyone, but also to those who seem to be in the highest places, is to serve, to serve others, to humble oneself.
If you find a person in the Church who has a higher vocation and you see that he is vain, say, “Poor soul”, pray for him, because he has not understood what the vocation of God is. The vocation of God is adoration of the Father, love for the community, and service. This is what it means to be an apostle, this is the witness of the apostles.
The matter of equality in dignity asks us to rethink may aspects of our relations, which are decisive for evangelization. For example, are we aware of the fact that with our words we can undermine the dignity of people, thus ruining relationships within the Church? While we try to engage in dialogue with the world, do we also know how to dialogue among ourselves as believers? Or in the parish, one person goes against another, one speaks badly of another in order to climb up further? Do we know how to listen to understand another person’s reasons, or do we impose ourselves, perhaps even with appeasing words? To listen, to be humble, to be at the service of others: this is serving. This is to be a Christian, this is to be an apostle.
Dear brothers and sisters, let us not be afraid to ask these questions. Let us avoid vanity, the vanity of positions. These words can help us to confirm how we live our baptismal vocation, how we live our way of being apostles in an apostolic Church, which is at the service of others. Thank you.
And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every infirmity. 2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zeb′edee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;[a] 4 Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
The Mission of the Twelve
5 These twelve Jesus sent out, charging them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans,[b] 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And preach as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without pay, give without pay. 9 Take no gold, nor silver, nor copper in your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff; for the laborer deserves his food. 11 And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it, and stay with him until you depart. 12 As you enter the house, salute it. 13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And if any one will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. 15 Truly, I say to you, it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomor′rah than for that town.
Coming Persecutions
16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of men; for they will deliver you up to councils, and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them and the Gentiles. 19 When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour; 20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; 22 and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel, before the Son of man comes.
24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant[c] above his master; 25 it is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant[d]like his master. If they have called the master of the house Be-el′zebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.
Whom to Fear
26 “So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, utter in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim upon the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.[e]29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s will. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 So every one who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
Not Peace, but a Sword
34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36 and a man’s foes will be those of his own household. 37 He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.
Rewards
40 “He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me. 41 He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward, and he who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.”
