God calls us by Name and and Sends us forth

This week is our fourth week in our series, "Liturgy: The Work of the People." This week focuses on "being sent," or commissioned. When we are called and sent by God we are Apostles. Below is my reflection for this Sunday's presentation.

Apostles (Called by name and then sent)

CALLED by Name

Our relationship with God is on a first name basis. He calls us by name and we call Him by name. This proves that the relationship is personal and profound. Relationship with God is not just for canonized saints, but for everyone. Allow me to share some Scripture with you showing that God calls us by name.

My people, upon whom my name has been pronounced, (2 Chron. 7:14)

But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, and formed you, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name: you are mine. (Is. 43:1)

The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. (Jn 10:3)

He went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him. He appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons: (he appointed the twelve:) Simon, whom he named Peter; James, son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus; Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him. (Mk. 3:13-19)

SENT

The LORD said to Abram: "Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father's house to a land that I will show you. "I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the communities of the earth shall find blessing in you." Abram went as the LORD directed him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. (Gn. 12:1-4)

What was Abraham sent to do? He was sent to go and become the father of nations, i.e. of Israel, eventually Christians, and Muslims. In order to do this God needed someone who was willing to listen, to respond, and finally to do as asked. Abraham was asked to be an example of love, not so much for himself, though his own salvation and friendship with God must have been dear to him, but rather, Abraham served as an example to us. The example being, that I will do for God even if He asks for the impossible, i.e. go and leave this place and head out to a land I will show you, believe that your wife will have your own child – though you are both in your seventies, sacrifice to me your only son…Abraham listens, responds, and does, he is an apostle.

In the New Testament we have many characters that listen, respond and then go forth as apostles. Mary being the prototypical example of a person called by name and then sent, “Hail Mary, full of grace…” and then living out the mission entrusted to her, being the mother of God. The 12 apostles were also called and then sent. Think of the passages where Jesus sends them out two by two to preach the kingdom, in the final chapter of Matthew when he commissions them to baptize, etc.

This was not just for someone else who lived long ago. We are commissioned in the same way. We attend this liturgy because we desired to gather, and then to listen to God’s Word, respond in our hearts, and when we leave here, just like Abraham, Mary, and the 12 apostles, we too will bring the Good News to the whole world.

The mass means nothing if it is not lived beyond these doors. If after I leave here and I live contrary to the life Jesus asks that I live, well then, I am a hypocrite. I understand we all have some hypocrisy in our lives, because we are all sinners, but I am talking about serious sin. If mass is simply another obligation to fulfill, then your faith begins here but it also ends here. That is not the goal of liturgy. The goal God has for us is that when He speaks to us He does so for a purpose and that is - that we go out and present Him to the world. How do we do that you may ask? Well, simply, just be your Christian self, to do so means that the mass does not end here, but is alive in each of us everywhere we go. A true apostle knows this, but more importantly lives it!

Fr. John