Stripped of Everything, To Be Free and Credible

FIFTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – B

Introduction

Fixing his gaze on the paralytic who was begging for alms at the door of the temple known as “Beautiful,” Peter said, “Look at us.” He turned toward them, expecting to receive something. But Peter resumed, “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the Messiah, walk!”(Acts 3:1-10).

The cripple expected anything but this. His good fortune was to have met two disciples who, faithful to the Master’s instructions, took nothing with them. If they had money, they would have given him alms, then gone away, leaving him in the same condition as before. The miracle happened because Peter and John were aware that they were the depositaries of a divine power, of a word capable of putting back on their feet anyone who lies on the ground and, unable to manage his own life, and depends on the compassion of others.

It is praiseworthy that, where no one acts, the Church carries out a substitution work in areas that do not specifically pertain to it. Still, it cannot accept being identified with humanitarian institutions. It remains vigilant not to allow herself to be naively involved in spectacular and lucrative initiatives to not enter into competition with the civil structures which, through the commitment of lay Christians, it is instead called to animate.

It has a divine word, and it is on this word that she relies on, resisting the temptation to resort to means that people consider more effective. When she employs them, she can also do good, but she limits herself to almsgiving; she puts a new piece of cloth on an old dress, while her task is to create an entirely new person, a new society, a new world.

 

• To internalize the message, we repeat:

“The word of God is effective if it is announced for free.”

 

First Reading: Amos 7:12-15

One must go back to the time of Solomon to find a period in the history of Israel in which there was as much prosperity as at the time of Jeroboam II (8th century B.C.).

Enemies were defeated, and the lands beyond the Jordan were reconquered; the borders extended “from the entrance of Hamath to the Dead Sea” (2 Kgs 14:25) and, to increase the feeling of security and tranquility, fortresses were built in every city to guard the treasures obtained from the intense trade with Phoenicia, Arabia and along the Red Sea routes. New agricultural techniques have been introduced, which have increased production; the textile and dye industries are flourishing; the copper mines of the Arabah are working at total capacity; splendid and luxurious buildings are springing up everywhere, and there is a veritable explosion in population. It must be acknowledged that the country is at the height of its power, and the merit must be attributed to the sovereign’s ability.

And religion? It has never been so practiced and favored. The sanctuaries swarmed with pilgrims who flocked to offer sacrifices, fulfill vows, and participate in the festivities.

In his way, Jeroboam II is a deeply religious man: he salaries the priests and supports the expenses of the temples that he wants to be adorned with every magnificence. It is true that, in many sanctuaries, the cult borders on pagan practices, such as fertility cults and sacred prostitution, but, on the whole, one must bless the Lord and thank the king for the well-being the country enjoys.

One day a rough man arrives at Bethel, where the most important of these temples stands. His face is burned by the sun because he spends his life in the open air, grazing his cattle and cultivating the fields. He is Amos, the herdsman of Tekoa, a town in Judea, located on the edge of the desert, about ten kilometers south of Bethlehem.

Instead of rejoicing at the prosperity and peace that reign everywhere, he hurls abuses against the king; he attacks religious practice, the ruling classes, landowners, and merchants. Wealth, he argues, is reserved for a privileged few and is paid for dearly by the country’s poor. The rich flaunt the most blatant luxury, owning“summer palaces and winter mansions… ivory houses, houses with countless rooms” (Am 3:9,15), feasting, going from feast to feast (Am 6:1-7).

Where does the wealth they squander on revelry come from? It is the result of oppression and abuse of weak and defenseless laborers and peasants. They oppress and exploit (Am 4:1), they resort to legalized cheating, they falsify the scales, they fix the prices of products at will (Am 8:5), and they sell the poor for a pair of sandals (Am 8:6).

Not even the women, the “great ladies” who indulge in drunkenness (Am 4:1-4), and the judges who “turned justice into poison, trample on the rights and crush the poor and extorted levies on their grain” (Am 5:7,10-12) escape the prophet’s criticism.

What about emotional religious practice? It is all a lie; it is only appearance and exteriority. Prayers, worship, incense, and burnt offerings are repugnant to God unless there is an end to scandalous inequalities, robbery, and violence (Am 5:21-24).

It is in this social and political context that the passage in today’s reading must be set. Faced with Amos’ denunciations, the head of the priests of the temple of Bethel, Amaziah, becomes concerned and worried; he fears the reaction of Jeroboam II, to whom, no doubt, someone will report the incident.

To silence the shepherd of Tekoa, Amaziah first denounces him to the king (Am 7,10), then confronts him directly. He says to him: “Off with you seer; go back to the land of Judah. This is a king’s sanctuary and a national shrine!” (v. 12). Offended, Amos retorts: “I am not a professional prophet. I do not belong to the category of those ‘court chaplains’ who, like you, are employed by the sovereign. I do not defend personal interests, and to earn a living, I do not need to please or flatter someone. I am a breeder of sheep and a dresser of sycamore trees, and I know enough about myself” (vv. 14-15). As for the king, primarily responsible for this corrupt society, here is the fate that awaits him: “He shall die by the sword, and Israel shall be exiled from its land” (Am 7: 11).

A few years passed and Samaria, the capital, fell under the blows of the Assyrian army. Thus ended, as Amos had promised, “the orgy of the good-timers” (Am 6:7). The prophet is the intermediary God uses to communicate his word (Ex 7:1; 4:10 16; Jer 1:9). To fulfill his mission well, he must live in intimate union with the Lord and assimilate his thoughts and will. For this reason, he is called to detach himself from everything that could undermine or disturb this spiritual harmony: personal interests, religious and moral convictions that he has made up and that derive from the way of thinking of the society in which he lives. He is asked to renounce everything that can compromise his freedom of speech: friendships, gifts, economic dependence, compromises with the powerful of this world who, even when, like Jeroboam II, seem to favor the cause of faith, always undermine the credibility of the message.

 

Second Reading: Ephesians 1:3-14

For eight consecutive Sundays, we will read excerpts from the Letter to the Ephesians, a text attributed to Paul but composed around the year 90 A.D. by one of Paul’s disciples. The communities of Asia Minor, who recognized him as the faithful guardian of the thought and spirit of their Master, considered the letter to be the work of Paul himself. Thus, by referring to his authority and remaining in line with the apostolic tradition, they responded adequately to the theological problems that arose in their time.

The letter begins with a long hymn of blessing God for the wonders he has worked for humankind. The blessing is the most characteristic of Jewish prayers. At every moment of the day, the pious Israelite thinks of God’s interventions on behalf of his people, remembers the benefits he has granted, and thanks to him by pronouncing blessings. The letter to the Ephesians is a moving hymn, gushing forth from the heart of a Christian in Asia Minor, sung during liturgical celebrations and preserved for us by the letter’s author.

It begins with praise to the Lord, who is no longer called “God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” but Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (v. 3). He is blessed because, having placed us in Christ, he has made us partakers of every spiritual blessing.

The blessings promised to the patriarchs were material; God showed himself gracious toward his people when he bestowed abundant harvests, multiplied flocks and herds, made sons grow like olive saplings, and made daughters splendid “as pillars that adorn the corners of the temple” (Ps 144:12). Those who, through baptism, have entered into Christ are filled with spiritual blessings, which are not in opposition to material ones but constitute a new reality, an offer of imperishable goods, of a life that goes beyond the horizons of this world.

After this joyful exclamation, the hymn presents, in the first verse, the project of love conceived by God (vv. 4-6). Even before creating the world, God had in mind the salvation of all people; He wanted them to become one person in Christ, share in his life, and become part of his family. This is the destiny that awaits all humankind: not ruin, but joy without end, “to the praise of his glorious grace.” Man’s gratitude is addressed to the One who does not reward according to merit, but gives everything freely, bestows his goods to the poor, offers to those who cannot present him any good work.

In the following stanza (vv. 7-12), the hymn sings of the new condition of believers in Christ. They are redeemed, redeemed free of their sins, at the price of Christ’s blood (v. 7); they have been introduced into the knowledge of God’s plan, not only because the Lord’s saving will have been revealed to them, but because this salvation has begun to take place in them in a compelling way (vv. 8-10); they have become heirs of the same goods that the Father gives to his Only Begotten (vv. 11-12).

The image of inheritance recalls, once again, the gratuitousness of God’s gifts. Everything in him is grace and benevolence, and he wants this gratuitous love of his to circulate constantly among his children. “We who were the first to set our hope on Christ,” declares the author of the hymn, who places himself among the Jews who immediately adhered to the faith (v. 12).

In the concluding verses (vv. 13-14), with a “you,” he addresses the pagans who, after him, have heard “the word of truth, the gospel of salvation.“ Now, by the grace of the Lord, they too have become, together with the children of Abraham according to the flesh, heirs of the promises made to the patriarchs and their descendants.

The joy that permeates the entire hymn derives from the certainty that God’s goodness towards people is unconditional; it does not depend on one’s goodness; it is pure grace. When, in the history of the world or one’s personal life, evil seems to have the upper hand, this song reminds the believer that the final victory will belong to God’s love. He will still be able to bring to completion the plan he devised “before the creation of the world” (v. 4).

 

Gospel: Mark 6:7-13

In the first reading, we came across two significant and contrasting characters: Amaziah, the priest who is well integrated into the religious structure, full of blessings and privileges, and Amos, the rough cowherd who suddenly began to be a prophet.

The first is the successful man, acclaimed and respected because, being a friend of the powerful, he has reached a prestigious position. He is not to be envied: he has everything, but he is not free; at any time, he can be blackmailed by the sovereign who gives him bread but can also deny it to him; he is forced to show unconditional deference and reverence, to be always ready to flatter, to go along with the political games of his protector and to turn a blind eye to his misdeeds.

Amos is poor but independent; he can say what he thinks, has nothing to lose, nothing to defend, and owes nothing to anyone. ‘Poor to be free’ could be the motto that sums up the conditions set by Jesus in today’s Gospel to those called to proclaim his word. They must be like Amos, not like Amaziah.

The passage opens with the sending of the twelve on a mission (v. 7). Everyone is sent, no one excluded; this indicates that the proclamation of the Gospel is not a task reserved for a few members of the community. The disciple who does not feel the need to share with others the gift he has received is probably not yet convinced that, by discovering Christ, he or she has found the most precious of treasures.

The apostles are sent two by two, not to keep each other company, but for a theological reason. Unlike Hinduism, Buddhism, and all religions that propose as an ideal the attainment of one’s spiritual perfection, of one’s inner balance, of one’s purification—objectives that can be achieved even in complete solitude and isolation—Christianity can only be lived in community and, to constitute a community, it is necessary to be at least two. This is why even evangelization is never the work of individuals preaching their insights or inspirations. Those who proclaim the Gospel must keep themselves in complete harmony and communion with the Church.

Jesus introduces another important innovation. Rabbis did not go looking for disciples; the students went to them to learn the Torah. Jesus orders his apostles to go and offer the Gospel message to people in their homes, in the environments where they live; they must not wait for someone to look for them.

Finally, the apostles are given power. It may come as a surprise that Jesus does not provide them with authority to command, to issue coercive provisions. The only power the apostles receive is the same power Jesus exercised: to give orders to the “unclean spirits.” By “unclean spirits,” we mean all the forces that lead away from God and life, arouse bad feelings, and cause oppression, violence, and injustice. The Christian community will undoubtedly emerge victorious from the confrontation with these hostile forces that dominate the world because the Master has invested it with irresistible power, his own Spirit.

In the second part of the passage (vv. 8-9), instructions are given regarding the equipment that the messengers of the Gospel can take with them. It must be very light: a single tunic, a pair of sandals, staff, and nothing else; the rest constitutes baggage that weighs down. Material means must be reduced to the essential.

Let us begin with the staff. It was the poor man’s weapon, which is why, in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus forbids it (Mt 10:10). Christ’s disciples are peacemakers; therefore, they repudiate all instruments that call for the use of violence.

In today’s passage, however, the apostles are allowed. The reason lies in the fact that the staff also has another symbolic meaning in the Bible. As a couple (“two by two,” as Jesus also recommends), Moses and Aaron fought against the oppressive forces of Pharaoh; they completed the work of liberation of their people using a stick, a sign of the power of God. With it, Moses performed wonders before Pharaoh (Ex 7:9-12), stretched out his hand over the land of Egypt and caused locusts to come (Ex 10:13), parted the Red Sea (Ex 14:16), and caused water to flow from the rock (Ex 17:5-6).

Even the disciples of Christ, to carry out the work of liberation of humanity from the “unclean spirits,” have only a stick in their hands; they can count on a single strength, the one delivered to them by Jesus: his word.

Then it is indicated what they must not take with them: neither bread, saddlebags, or money… (vv. 8-9). Jesus here uses paradoxes. Still, we must be careful not to give reductive interpretations to his words, not to debase the message, depriving it of its provocative content. It is nonsense to believe that he would be so severe if he were living today would not adapt to the demands of modern life. At that time, he had nowhere to lay his head (Lk 9:58), but today he would change his style and would not hesitate to invest, with cunning, the money from alms, to fight the children of darkness with their weapons.

Times have changed, it is true, and Jesus’ words are not to be taken literally; nevertheless, the concern that the leaven of this world might infiltrate the disciples, the conviction that the effectiveness of the mission depends on the amount of material means at one’s disposal, shines through. Jesus never despised material goods, he never presented poverty as an ideal of life, yet he warned the disciples against the danger of being conditioned by wealth. They will not be free to speak the truth and express what they think if they must please someone who, like Amaziah, is paid and is obliged to show gratitude.

Over the centuries, the Church has paid a high price for its agreements and alliances with the powerful of this world, for its compromises with those who have offered it privileges, favors, and guarantees. It has paid for them with the loss of freedom and autonomy.

There is another reason, even more important, that urges Jesus to demand of his messengers that they present themselves without money and completely stripped of any form of power. Those who flaunt superiority inevitably generate suspicion and provoke rejection; those who show a desire to impose themselves, to obtain ideological victories, become unfriendly and cause opposition. People trust only those who do not inspire fear, those who do not humiliate. For this reason, the most effective way to win their trust is to deliver one’s life into the hands of those to whom the Gospel is offered, showing that one depends on them also for one’s sustenance.

The haversack is not allowed. After all, it is not needed because it is a burden, a useless nuisance. The disciple is not allowed to keep provisions for the next day; the bread he asks the Father for is his daily bread and, if he receives more and has some leftover, he immediately gives it to those in need.

The complete detachment required by the Master implies not only the renunciation of material goods but also the rejection of preconceived ideas, traditions, and retrograde convictions that one is always tempted to drag along, and to which one easily clings emotionally and irrationally. Certain customs, habits, devotional practices, and religious customs are heavy burdens, linked to an outdated historical and cultural context, and naively confused by some and equated with the Gospel.

In the third part (vv. 10-11), Jesus discusses the welcome given to his envoys: some will be welcomed with joy and gratitude; others will be rejected with disdain and contempt. How to react?

“Having entered a house, stay there until you leave that place” (v. 10). At first glance, this recommendation seems to be an invitation to visit just one family, neglecting the others; in reality, Jesus warns of a severe error that could compromise the work of his missionaries: those who proclaim the Gospel will always find pious and generous people who will host them in their homes, but, as is easy to imagine, the first lodging will not be the best, it will be a makeshift accommodation, rather precarious, in which they will have to adapt to live. Later on, however, the missionaries will undoubtedly meet people who are well disposed towards them. They will be offered a more comfortable residence, then another even better one, and so on until they will have the possibility to settle in palaces.

Jesus recommends to stay in the first house. The disciples are asked to bear witness to an austere and sober life, far from any ostentation of luxury. At stake is the very credibility of the mission.

And when they are driven out? They will have to shake the dust from their feet. This was the gesture that every Israelite made when he left the land of the pagans and entered the holy land. In this way, he expressed his conviction that “the land shares in the character of its inhabitants” (Num 5:17) and that, to bid farewell to the ungodly, it was necessary to get rid of their dust as well.

Jesus suggests to the disciples that they perform this gesture, not as a sign of rejection and contempt, but “as a witness for them.” Note: for them, not against them. Jesus’ request is an expression of respect; it is an invitation not to insist more than necessary, not to become nagging, so as not to obtain the opposite effect, that of annoying people and definitively distancing them from the faith.

Authentic apostles are careful never to violate the freedom of others, never to become fanatical and intolerant shouters. They are aware that they are sent to bring a proposal, not to engage in theological battles. Their task is not to obtain numerous conversions but to faithfully announce the word of Christ. The adherence or rejection, the more or less abundant fruits do not depend on them, but on the kind of soil on which they will have sown the seed in abundance, but with gentleness and respect.

The last verse (v. 12) recounts the success of the apostles’ mission. With the power conferred by the Master, they carry out the work of salvation for which they were sent. The sign of this salvation is the defeat of all forms of evil, physical evil (diseases), and moral evil (the expulsion of demons).

 

Stripped of Everything, To Be Free and Credible – DOWNLOAD VERSION