Christian Discipleship - Chosen and Sent
One of quintessential Christian characteristics is that of being chosen in order to be sent. At the center of the economy of salvation, the Father sent His beloved Son as an essential part of the accomplishment of God’s divine plan for “he chose us in him before the foundation of the world.” (Eph. 1:3 - Second Reading). The prophet Amos, although a simple “shepherd and mere dresser of sycamore (Amos 7:14 - First Reading), was chosen and sent by God to proclaim God’s will to the people of Judah. He participated in the continuing mission of the Son in building God’s kingdom.
St. Paul in his Letter to the Ephesians laid down the purpose why God chose apostles and send them to the world: “In love He (the Father) destined us for adoption to himself in Jesus Christ that we should be holy and blameless before him” (Eph 1:4) Moreover, “in him we were also chosen, destined in accord with the purpose of the One who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will, so that we might exist for the praise of his glory…” (Eph. 1:1 1-12). The accomplishment of this destiny to be God’s adopted children demands that someone is willing to respond to God’s call and ready to be sent. But “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?” (Rom. 10: 14-15)
Mark’s Gospel which is typical for its brevity and swift narrative literally captures the urgency for the apostles to be sent to the mission: “He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick— no food, no sack, no money in their belts.” (Mk. 6:8 - Gospel) The injunction to simplicity of the apostles in their apostolic journey characterized by their detachment and sense of lack of human security are by all means fruits of supernatural zeal for God’s glory and salvation of souls. But they are also living witnesses of their faith in God’s providential care— an antidote for the world so caught up with a culture of consumption and materialism. Their very ascetical apostolic lifestyle is already a vivid proclamation to the world, that man is destined for God’s eternal life through divine adoption. Their poor life became for others an incarnational preaching of the priority of saving their souls than spending years of one’s life on goals that perish.
But at the center of the effective mission of the Apostles and the prophets do not depend on human factors and skills. Amos was just a shepherd and farmer. The apostles were just simple fishermen. Their power in their ministry lies on the fact that they were CHOSEN by God. They respond to the call. They developed an intimate relationship with God by knowing his truth and will. Then, they were sent— a passing on of an authority that is both vicarious and with a sense of stewardship. This has been the story of so many dedicated religious, missionaries, priests and the clergy. But this is certainly the story of every Christian for each one of us are called “to be holy and righteous in his sight (Eph. 1 :4). But, God chose us in order to be sent so that his divine plan and the means to achieve it may be made known.
The Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen once preached: “There are two important action words Jesus gave his disciples: one in the beginning of the Gospel and the other, before He ascended into heaven— He said: “COME!” Come and learn from him and enter into an intimate and spiritual relationship with him. Only then, when towards the end, He commanded them to “GO!” Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel. The “sending” is conditioned by “coming” to Him. Will you “come” to him in order to be “sent?”
-Rev. Fr. Martin M. Fonte, FFI
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