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15th Sunday Ordinary Time
July 13 , 2003 Homily by Jim

Eph.1:3-14
Amos 7:12-15
Mark 6:7-13

I say for 'motivational' value, not historical, stylistic or theological, because it has probably moved more people to "take up the cross and follow Jesus"---as we say---than any other text in the New Testament. Thousands of people have joined convents and seminaries because of this passage and other similar ones; thousands upon thousand have followed these injunctions quietly. We don't know them, but a few great souls we do know; think especially of Francis of Assisi, Mahatma Ghandi and our own Dorothy Day. Paradoxically, the life of an apostle is harsh, even barren of ordinary human comfort.

Jesus first gives the apostles authority over unclean spirits. Much has been written about the meaning of 'unclean spirits' that it is hard to give a modern translation. The fact is that just love alone can drive out an unclean spirit, and these men was deeply holy why else would Jesus have chosen them. These apostles even anoint with oil, the only occasion when this is done in the N.T., and it is no doubt the origin of our modern-day practice of placing oil on the forehead.

Jesus asked the apostles to carry a staff. Would a staff make them holy? No, but certainly the staff in an image that comes down to us as a sign of authority and power; it probably signified the same in Jesus' time. On the practical side, though, the staff can be used on uneven, rough terrain, the very road the apostles will walk, as we walk with them. It is a hard road, a tough journey. I myself some times use a cane, and I can tell you, people do show respect for the user.

The apostles were asked not to carry any money. We in the 21st Century can't possibly understand how the they could survive without money or engaging in barter of some kind.

Dealing with demons had unclean spirits it not 'fun work' ; The answer to this problem is that in the ancient middle east hospitality was the custom of the land. A householder was by custom obliged to take in strangers and provide them food and
shelter. Thus, the apostles could pass extended periods of time on the road. If we just focus on the marginalized persons in our own neighborhood we would be going a long way to be doing what these apostles did.

Jesus sent off the apostles off, two together. Such a team of two is ideal for several reasons. Two heads are better than one, as you've heard, so that if one person were to fall, literally or figuratively, the other is there to pick up the fallen one. He is there to offer the other consolation, solace. Another reason for the two person team is that traveling alone in the ancient middle east was dangerous; robbers were numerous. Jesus had no doubt seen a bandit first hand. The partner apostles could offer companionship and encourage each other in difficult circumstances.

The single garment would prevent disciples from becoming preoccupied with worrying about a bag full of clothes, and also keep them indifferent to appearances and more attuned to the man inside. I don't know about you, but right now my closet is filled with clothes I could give to ARC or Goodwill. We are so passive in our role of apostle.

Jesus says shake off the dust on your feet if any place will not receive you and they refuse to hear you. This, of course, involves an social act that is totally foreign to us. We don't shake off the dust of our feet, we just go home in a huff. Probably it means to say goodbye in a hyper formal manner to someone who would not help. It is hard to reconcile this act with the apostles activities.

Thus if we are not called literally to become missionaries for Christ, we can learn something that is important to our lives: we learn simplicity, we learn steadiness of purpose, we learn generosity and kindness. Last of all we learn Devotion, devotion to our fellows and to the One who sent us.