Praise to be Jesus Christ.
How was your week?
How are you spending your summer in Alaska?
We pray that God will take care of all our parishioners and blessed them.
A priest in Korea typically is reassigned every four years but they are not involved in the decision making process. They cannot express their preferences either. When they are reassigned, they are instructed to transfer whether it is a rural parish, an overseas location, a hospital, or a long-term care facility. They obediently move to a new assignment. It is because God assigns through the bishops; we rely completely and happily go to our new assignments.
In today’s gospel, Jesus called the disciples. They were fishermen, tax collectors, zealots, and others. He gathered the twelve and sends them out to drive out the spirits and heal the sick with oil. Jesus commanded the disciples completely. Jesus told them: “He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walk stick- no food, no sack, no money in their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals but not second tunic.” (Mark 6:9) He initiated them to not seek comfort or materialism. Those who were called only followed the vocation and obediently fulfilled the mission.
In the first reading, the LORD took Amos. He was a shepherd and a dresser of sycamores. But the LORD instructed him to: “Go, prophesy to my people Israel.” (Amos 7:15) Thus, he followed the command became a prophet in northern Israel.
In the second reading, we were chosen by God. We have very diverse background, but were chosen to be holy and without blemish before Him. We became His children. Thus we do not dwell on the worries of the world but live our faith in His blessings.
God has the authority to call, take, and select us. The important fact is that we need to understand the meaning and completely rely on Him.
As you spend the next week, let us not focus on the comfort and materialism, but rather completely trust in God to live our faith joyfully with conviction.
Let us meditate for a moment.