FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 2024
FRIDAY OF THE TWENTY FOURTH WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME B
ST ANDREW KIM TAEGON & Comp., M. (Memorial)
1 Corinthians 15:12-20
Luke 8:1-3
EFFECTIVE COLLABORATION IN THE MINISTRY OF CHRIST.
All Christians have been called to the mission of spreading the gospel. So there is no bystander in the Christian life and mission. It is a mission that cooperation and collaboration is key to its success.
In the gospel of today, we are informed of the various collaborators that helped to sustain the mission of Christ and particularly their role in the mission. Following Jesus is one thing but contributing by collaborating with Jesus is yet another level that brings success to Christ’s mission.
The level of their collaboration was even mentioned. “And the Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.”
So, the apostles of Jesus worked with Jesus spreading the gospel, while the women aided the mission by supplying the disciples with food, clothing, and other means from their resources.
The need for collaboration in the ministry is very necessary. It helps the ministers to be more focused, to be better disposed and organize and to be effective in the spread of the kingdom of God.
But in collaboration, the people give rather than take, they invest rather than receive. It is more of giving without thinking of the loss. It is therefore sacrificial and caring for persons in the mission. It means attending to the basic needs of those who have devoted themselves to the spread of the gospel.
Collaboration is another better and effective way of being an evangelizer, and working with Christ. And the spirit that animates such genuine collaborative spirit must come from a firm conviction in the rewards and hopes of eternal life that Christ offers.
For us, the belief in the resurrection of Christ, the core of our faith in Christ, and the power of Christ to save and restore humanity to the right path is a genuine reason for commitment.
Just as Mary Magdalene believed in Christ, because of her personal encounter with the powers of Christ, so also the Christian of this era. So our collaboration in spreading the gospel must be animated by firm trust, deeper faith and sure assurance of the faith and the rewards it brings to the soul.
Saint Paul in the first reading argues for a deep conviction in the resurrection of Christ. His argument is that the resurrection event gave meaning to our faith in Christ. And to believe in the resurrection is key to our efforts, our struggles and our commitment to the faith. Conversely, our lack of faith and disbelief in the resurrection amounts to self deception and lies to oneself since it does not prove anything in Christ. Our faith in Christ is therefore anchored on the events of the resurrection which gives us the assurance of life eternal.
We must therefore strengthen our faith in the resurrection and hold dearly this faith without weaving. For our faith in Christ’s resurrection gives rise to our commitment, our resolves and our eagerness to sacrifice, to be strong collaborators in the mission of Christ.
Heavenly Father, you called us to work with you in spreading the gospel of salvation to the ends of the world. Grant us firm conviction, deeper commitment and spirit of sacrifice to be able to commit ourselves and collaborate more in the task of spreading the gospel. May we be zealous in contributing effectively to the spread of your name, through Christ our Lord.
Fr Norbert Uchuno
