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Good morning sisters and brothers,
Today we're going back in time from where we have been in the Gospel story. We're doing that because in our worship life we follow the church year and take our worship readings from a calendar called the lectionary. The lectionary provides readings for each Sunday and festival from the Old Testament, Psalms, letters and Gospels. In the church year Easter is 7 Sundays, followed by Pentecost (last Sunday). Yesterday was Trinity Sunday which begins Ordinary Time. During Ordinary Time our readings follow the life of Jesus, so we pick back up in chapter 10, which is where we left the Gospel when Lent began. Over the next several months we will be following the Gospel of Matthew along with stories from the Old Testament and letters to churches.

In today's reading Jesus sends out his 12 disciples to heal the sick and possessed and to announce the good news of God's love. Imagine yourself in their position. How would you feel? Would you be excited? Scared? What mission do you feel God has given you this week?

Blessings,
Sam

Matthew 10:1-15

Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. 2These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.



5These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. 9Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, 10no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for laborers deserve their food.


11Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. 12As you enter the house, greet it. 13If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. 15Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.