Friday, January 23, 2026

 

Friday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

(I Samuel 24:3-21; Mark 3:13-19)

There are four lists of apostles in the New Testament.  Three are from the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke.  One is found in the Acts of the Apostles, also written by Luke.  No two lists give exactly the same information. 

A couple of interesting observations can be made of the list from the Gospel of Mark. Andrew occupies fourth place in the order after James and John and, of course, Simon Peter.   The reasoning behind this placement is probably that Peter, James, and John formed Jesus’ inner circle.  They accompanied Jesus up the mountain of the Transfiguration and to the place where Jesus prayed in Gethsemane.

Mark also has the name “Matthew” rather than “Levi,” the tax collector whom Jesus called.  It is likely that “Matthew” was a name on an early list of apostles which Mark used.  Matthew tells much the same story of the tax collector’s calling but names him “Matthew.”  He probably wanted both to include the tax collector who received an independent call from Jesus and to use the early list.

All this may seem trivial.  However, the twelve apostles have great importance in the gospel.  First, they represent the New Israel that Jesus came to establish.  Secondly, they are the primary witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection.  They are the first to go out to the world preaching “Jesus as Lord.”

Friday, January 24, 2025

Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

(Hebrews 8:6-13; Mark3:13-19)

Mark, the evangelist, describes Jesus’ choosing his apostles with discretion and formality.  He summons not everyone who desires the office but those he wants.  He does not ordain them anywhere but on a mountain.  This arrangement indicates the importance of the apostles. They will not only preach the kingdom of God to the nations but also will form the framework of his Church. 

Today the church celebrates a man who was in the line of these apostles.  Francis de Sales was bishop of Geneva during the time of the Protestant Reformation.  Like all bishops, Francis was ordained in a direct line of succession from the apostles.  Again, as all bishops he was given the solemn duty of maintaining the faith of the apostles.  And like all others Francis provided the sacraments which Christ instituted to maintain a physical presence in his Church.

Francis is portrayed in descriptions of the saints as an affable man with a desire to reach out to those who left the Church and to uplift those who remained faithful Catholics.  It is said that his preaching converted many protestants while his book Introduction to the Devout Life deepened the spirituality of many laypersons.

Friday, January 22, 2021

 

Friday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

(I Samuel 24:3-21; Mark 3:13-19)

The man sat down.  He said that he had five children -- four of them still living.  He said one died in childbirth.  Then he named that unforgettable, dead child.  In a sense, he resembled Jesus in today’s gospel choosing his apostles.

 Jesus is setting apart twelve of his growing number of disciples to be his apostles.  He gives special names to three of the troupe.  He calls Simon “Peter” or “Rock” because of the latter’s steadfastness.  He names James and John “Boanerges” because of their impetuosity.  Not all of the twelve will play a memorable part in the history of the Church.  But all have names; all are important.

Today we pray for the scores of millions of babies who have been aborted since the infamous Supreme Court decision.  We cannot give each an individual name because one or both of their parents considered them unimportant.  But we can name the crime that blithely allowed them to be killed.  Let’s call it “irresponsible individualism.”  By doing so, we are saying that their right to life has been denied out of a desire to escape the responsibility of caring for them.  But perhaps we should not condemn those parents too quickly.  They are part of a society which condones sexual permissiveness and cherishes convenience.  Let us then include society in our prayer today.

Friday, January 20, 2017

Friday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

(Hebrews 8:6-13; Mark 3:13-19)

Some have tried to provoke an argument by saying that Jesus did not found the Church.  They propose Paul as the more logical founder.  Of course, Jesus did not create the orders of bishops and priests.  And he certainly never established the Roman bureaucracy.  But the four gospels do indicate that he had an organizational structure in mind.  Today’s gospel pictures him acting quite intentionally to build a basis for his mission of preaching.

The passage notes that Jesus climbs a mountain evidently alone.  There, like the President-elect selecting his cabinet, he calls up twelve disciples to join him.  These are to become not just an inner group of advisors but are to prepare themselves to go out and preach.  The twelve are named in order of prominence.  Peter with a gift for proclamation is the first mentioned.  Second, James and John, who also are recognized for their locutions, are noted.  Then the others are named.  The last, of course, is Judas Iscariot, who does not lack ability but who will do the mission irreparable harm.

Perhaps the people who want to sell Jesus short on an organizational plan have difficulty appreciating how capable he is.  They see him with limitations like the rest of us.  But the four gospels indicate that he is a man like no other.  He does everything well – preach, organize, give of himself freely.  We are grateful to have been called to be his followers.

Friday, January 22, 2016

Friday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

(I Samuel 24:3-21; Mark 3:13-19)

The man sat down.  He said that he had five children -- four still living.  He said one died in childbirth and gave his name.  He resembled Jesus in the gospel today naming his apostles.

Jesus gives special names to three of the troupe.  He will call Simon “Peter” or “Rock” because of the latter’s dependability.  He names James and John “Boanerges” because of their impetuosity.  Jesus does not equivocate like many others.  He names his disciples as he finds them with their various virtues and vices.

Today we remember fifty million or so mostly nameless victims of abortion.  We cannot give each an individual name like the man who still has a large place in his heart for his stillborn.  But we can offer a prayer for them collectively.  We can also name the crime that blithely allowed them to die.  Let’s call it “irresponsible individualism.”  By doing so, we are saying that their right to life has been denied so that their parents might forsake the responsibility of caring for them.  But let us not condemn those parents too quickly.  No doubt, many of them were victimized in different ways that moved them to do such a horrible thing.  So we want to include them also in our prayer today.

Friday, January 24, 2014

Memorial of St. Francis de Sales, bishop and doctor of the Church

(I Samuel 24:3-21; Mark 3:13-19)

Vatican II’s proclamation of the universal call to holiness surprised many people who somehow thought it an innovation.  Of course, it was not.  The Scriptures claim it (cf., I Thessalonians 4:7), and spiritual theologians like St. Francis de Sales have made it a foundational principle.  Francis’ Introduction to the Devout Life gives insight to how people in different walks of life may come to know the Lord intimately.  Perhaps the misinterpretation of today’s gospel has caused the confusion over this important truth.

Jesus calls his apostles from the growing number of disciples who have followed him.  They are likely capable men with gifts of communication and tolerance to face the challenges of itinerant preaching.  Those he does not choose for the task remain people charged to “repent and believe in the gospel.”  In other words, they are still called to holiness even though, for one reason or another, Jesus does not specify their contribution to the Kingdom in the same way as the twelve.

Called to holiness by God, we endeavor to form a close relationship with Jesus.  We learn about him through studying the gospels.  We speak to him in prayer where we tell him of our love.  And we ask his assistance with all our needs.  His reply to us comes through our daily experience, especially the murmurings of conscience.   

Friday, January 20, 2012

Friday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

(I Samuel 24:3-21; Mark 3:13-19)

Fra Angelico’s portrayal of the Sermon on the Mount shows the twelve apostles sitting around Jesus. Each has the ring of a halo around his head although Judas’ is more properly a shadow for it is colored black. The gospel today provides a glimpse of why this is the case.

Mark’s list of apostles typically begins with Peter, the most prominent of the Twelve. It ends with Judas but not because he is the least of the group. It has been speculated that he rivaled Peter in ability. The evangelist John will say that he had the trusted position of treasurer among the disciples. No, he is named at the read because he will deliver the Lord to his enemies. Why did he do it? Mark mentions the promise of money, but there must be a deeper, darker reason. Judas is likely moved by the opportunity to have his named blazoned in history. He will be forever remembered as the betrayer of the Son of God.

Perhaps the desire to do something outrageous tempts each of us. We may envy the recognition of those with special talents or sought-after characteristics. But it is a screwed up desire. Why would anyone want to be cursed by the majority of people? Why would anyone want to forego eternal life in the company of the good apostles?

Homilette for Friday, January 23, 2009

Friday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

(Hebrews 8:6-13; Mark 3:13-19)

When President Harry Truman campaigned to keep his residence at the White House in 1948, he took to the rails. He crisscrossed the country speaking to the people in every town with a train station. The tactic gave the president access to large numbers of citizens and also pictured him in their minds as one like them. The railway campaign was a symbol not only saying something about Harry Truman’s character but also accomplishing his purpose of being reelected.

We can see Jesus choosing twelve men as his core disciples or apostles in a similarly dynamic way. Jesus does not choose twelve because it is a number divisible by many other whole numbers, much less because he has only twelve men qualified for the job. No, he chooses twelve to symbolize the twelve tribes of the Kingdom of Israel which Jesus has come to restore. The Kingdom of Israel is to serve as the foundation of the wider Kingdom of God that is bringing peace to the whole world. The men are also to help realize the kingdom through their preaching and healing.

Sometimes we satisfy ourselves thinking that Jesus came to save individual souls for a heaven above and beyond the world. This is not the picture the gospels present us, however. Although we believe that we have an eternal destiny beyond our deaths, we need to recognize that the Kingdom which Jesus has inaugurated is a new world order where men and women live amicably together under God’s righteous rule. This vision remains the true Christian hope.