To this day, I still remember one of the best Christmas gifts I ever received. I must’ve been around 8 or 9 years old, and my dad was in the process of renovating the basement and adding a couple bedrooms. The walls were all torn up, and it looked like a construction site down there. My dad would go down with his tools and slowly but surely make the renovations, and I so badly wanted to join him. On Christmas morning, I opened my gift and found a set of plastic toy tools and rushed downstairs to start “working on the basement.” I spent that spring hammering the walls alongside my dad, and even though my toy tools weren’t actually accomplishing anything, it meant the world to me that my dad wanted to share his building project with me.

In today’s Gospel, we’re told that Jesus called his 12 apostles forward and “gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness.” (Mt. 10:1) He later tells them also to proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven, raise the dead, heal the sick, cleanse lepers,and cast out demons. In fact, what Jesus is asking his apostles to do is to do exactly what He has been doing so far in his ministry. Jesus desires to share his mission with us, and invites us to cooperate with him.

Have you ever thought about how crazy it is that Jesus trusts us to carry out his mission?
He doesn’t leave it only to the most qualified saints, but actually invites each and every one of us to share the good news, reach out to our friends and family, and be a witness of the Gospel to them! I hardly trust myself to pack a nutritious lunch every day, and yet Jesus is entrusting me with the life-changing power of the Gospel, and relies on me to proclaim it. He relies on you too. He didn’t have to entrust you with his Gospel, but just like my dad who was excited to share his renovation project with me, it brings Jesus great joy to share his mission with you - the only difference is that the tools you’re using aren’t toys, they are the witness of your words and life.

Just like the Apostles, Jesus calls you by name and invites you to bring the Gospel to the part of the world he has placed you in. And he trusts in you as you go forth in mission. Let us learn from Jesus and trust him in return as he gives us every grace we need to faithfully live out our calling to be missionary disciples.

Where do you feel Jesus inviting you to share in His mission and saving work?

How do you respond when you are entrusted with something important?

​Where have you been sent on mission? And how does that mission bring joy to your soul?

"Jesus has chosen me."

"Jesus has sent me."

"Jesus has called me by name."

Consider how the Lord is calling you to mission. It might be a mission trip to a foreign country, or it might mean serving your neighbors in your own backyard. Either way, take a concrete action today to serve your brothers and sisters and share the light of Christ with them.