First reading 1 Kings 2:1-4,10-12
David’s dying exhortation to Solomon
As David’s life drew to its close he laid this charge on his son Solomon, ‘I am going the way of all the earth. Be strong and show yourself a man. Observe the injunctions of the Lord your God, following his ways and keeping his laws, his commandments, his customs and his decrees, as it stands written in the Law of Moses, that so you may be successful in all you do and undertake, so that the Lord may fulfil the promise he made me, “If your sons are careful how they behave, and walk loyally before me with all their heart and soul, you shall never lack for a man on the throne of Israel.”’
So David slept with his ancestors and was buried in the Citadel of David. David’s reign over Israel lasted forty years: he reigned in Hebron for seven years, and in Jerusalem for thirty-three.
Solomon was seated upon the throne of David, and his sovereignty was securely established.
Responsorial Psalm 1 Chronicles 29:10-12
You, Lord, are the ruler of all.
May you be blessed, O Lord,
the God of Israel, our father,
for ever, for ages unending!
You, Lord, are the ruler of all.
Yours, Lord, are greatness and power,
and splendour, triumph, and glory.
All is yours, in heaven and on earth.
You, Lord, are the ruler of all.
Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;
you are supreme above all.
Both honour and riches come from you.
You, Lord, are the ruler of all.
You are the ruler of all,
from your hand come strength and power;
from your hand come greatness and might.
You, Lord, are the ruler of all.
Gospel Mark 6:7-13
‘Take nothing with you’
Jesus made a tour round the villages, teaching. Then he summoned the Twelve and began to send them out in pairs giving them authority over the unclean spirits. And he instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a staff – no bread, no haversack, no coppers for their purses. They were to wear sandals but, he added, ‘Do not take a spare tunic.’ And he said to them, ‘If you enter a house anywhere, stay there until you leave the district. And if any place does not welcome you and people refuse to listen to you, as you walk away shake off the dust from under your feet as a sign to them.’ So they set off to preach repentance; and they cast out many devils, and anointed many sick people with oil and cured them.
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Living mission
In the gospel, as He made a tour of the villages, He sent out His disciples to be part of His mission and help Him reach out to those in need to hear the Good News. Today, Jesus continues to need our help to be His hands, feet, ears and voice. Jesus’ life was mission, so our lives too must be mission.
“My mission of being in the heart of the people is not just a part of my life or a badge I can take off; it is not an “extra” or just another moment in life. Instead, it is something I cannot uproot from my being without destroying my very self. I am a mission on this earth; that is the reason why I am here in this world” (Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium).
Today, by serving our family members with joy, reaching out to the poor among us, living with our aches and sickness with peace, speaking a word of hope to someone struggling with sadness, etc., we bring Jesus’ presence of love to them. We are living mission!
Question for reflection:
What is Jesus asking from me today?
What is Jesus asking from me today?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr. Sandra Seow FMVD.
