Daily reflection _ power and authority / love and humility

POWER AND AUTHORITY
Wedded With Love And Humility
God entrusts us with His gifts and talents. Then, with the grace we receive, we are invited to share those blessings with others.
Deacon John Ruscheinsky
We learn from the verses just prior to today's reading from Mark's Gospel that Jesus cured the sick by laying hands on them (cf. Mk 6:5). The laying on of hands and blessing others is very important in helping people who are in need of healing, physically, and most importantly, spiritually. Today's verses tell us that Jesus gave His Apostles both the power and authority to speak and to act in His Name (Mk 6:7-13). They were sent to do the good works that would bring healing: to cast out evil spirits, to speak the Word of God and spread the Good News of the Gospel, opening hearts to receive Jesus Christ. He did something unheard of when He spoke about power and authority. He wedded them with love and humility. The "world" and the "flesh" seek power for selfish gain but Jesus, Our Lord, teaches us to use it for the good of those around us each day.
Jesus tells the Apostles to "travel light" (cf. Mk 6:8). "Poverty of Spirit" frees us from greed and becoming preoccupied with possessions, making ample room for God's provision. So what is the message for us today? We, as faithful disciples, need to be dependent on Him and not on ourselves, following the example of His first disciples. God entrusts us with His gifts and talents. Then, with the grace we receive, we are invited to share those blessings with others.
The challenge for us is to ponder God's bounty so that we will want to join in praising the lavish Giver, Who bestows upon us all the gifts of life. Uniting our voices with the Psalmist, we too can proclaim, "Great is the Lord and wholly to be praised" (Ps 48:2). With our hearts so moved, we will then join the Apostles who were sent out by Jesus to preach, teach, spread the message of repentance, cure the sick, and reach out to those most in need.
To serve like Jesus requires love and humility!