CALLING AND ELECTION OF THE APOSTLES
LUKE 6: 12 -19
Friends,
Today is an important day in the
life of the Holy Church as we commemorate and partake in the Fast of the
Apostles. On these thirteen days of lent in June beginning today, we remember
all the Apostles-their calling, commitment and their life dedicated for the glory
of God.
In the background of the text
for today’s meditation, we read two incidents in the public ministry of Jesus.
Both of them are telling about Jesus’s confrontation with the Jewish authorities
regarding the negligence of the practice of Sabbatical observances from Jesus. Jesus
is affirming that the basic necessities of human are above all Law. And God is
the one who ensures the abundance of life and in Jesus we see the embodiment of
that divine love. This incident ends in fury and conspiracy against Jesus.
We read the text in the context of
these adverse situations. The calling of Apostles is not in the midst of an easy-going
life situations. Jesus finds time in spending a night in prayer, where he finds
solution to all his problems. The mountain
experiences tell us of a higher spiritual realm in his life which always he loves.
Though there may be many disciples, Jesus specially selects twelve to be the
Apostles. Every disciple has a mission but the called one has some special
responsibilities. Apostle means the one
sent on a mission. Jesus’ takes the Apostles with him on the mountain is to
train them to be in prayer in the midst of their spiritual life while facing hostile
life realities.
The life of the disciple is not only
to be in the mountain with spiritual experiences, but also to be in the valleys
to face the life realities. Jesus came
down with them and saw a great multitude from Judea and Jerusalem and also from
the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon both from friends and hostile land (notorious
for their wickedness). God’s love embraces, touches and heals all. The Mission of the Apostles demands a mission
embracing all irrespective of caste, creed, religion and color what may build
boundaries with others.
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