Readings:
Hosea 10:1-3,7-8,12
Matthew 10:1-7
Reflection:
These lines from the first reading from Hosea invite us to consider a way of living that stands in contrast to a world often shaped by control, manipulation, power, and greed.
“Sow integrity for yourselves, reap a harvest of kindness, break up your fallow ground: it is time to go seeking the Lord.”
Israel, like many communities, came to understand itself as “chosen” and therefore set apart. At times, this sense of special identity led laws and religious practices to create separation rather than unity. Knowledge of the law could become a source of power and control, which stands in marked contrast to the way Jesus engages with people. Jesus meets people where they are, attentive to their lives and circumstances. In doing so, he reveals the truth proclaimed by prophets such as Hosea: that God is slow to anger and abounds in mercy and compassion.
In Matthew’s Gospel, when the disciples are called, appointed, and given authority, this authority is not exercised as power over others but as a ministry of healing, outreach, and care. They become instruments of God’s love, acting in the name of Jesus. If we place Jesus at the centre of our lives, we set ourselves on the path of integrity, allowing our actions to be shaped by cooperation and kindness. We are called to build up rather than burden others, and wherever possible, to help lift those burdens so that God’s grace and peace may be shared with all whom we encounter.
Paul Traynor is married to Clare and has two children Sam and Lucy. He lives in Greytown which is in the Wairarapa Region on the North Island of New Zealand. Paul is currently working as the National Passionist Family Groups Coordinator for Aotearoa, New Zealand.