Just like the Apostles in our Gospel, whom Jesus sent out into the world to drive out demons, to heal the sick, to walk with others and share the Good News, we have received that same task. Every single one of us as Christians has received that calling to go out and share the Gospel. And yes, even driving out demons and healing the sick…that’s part of the invitation the Lord shares with us.

Can you imagine what would happen if every single one of us stepped out of our fear, stepped into courage, and went out and boldly shared the Gospel? Can you imagine if we weren’t afraid of praying with others who are downtrodden, or experiencing anxiety, or dealing with worry, or some other mental, spiritual, or physical ailment? What would our world look like if we took that responsibility seriously, if we all did what Jesus has instructed us to do?

But the point of the Gospel: sometimes those we encounter, those we pray with, those we share the Good News of salvation with…sometimes they won’t accept the message. I wish sometimes we could force people to accept and embrace the message, but we can’t do that. It has to be an act of the will; it has to be a free choice. And that’s hard to realize at times, especially when it’s people that we really love – members of our families, our children who are far from the faith, or friends and loved ones.

Don’t get discouraged. We can’t let those negative responses stop us from going out and sharing the Good News; we can’t let that interfere with us following through on this mission given to us by the Lord. In those moments, we have to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. Every single day, we have to keep our focus on Jesus because He is the one who gives us strength, who encourages us. And ultimately, He is the one that we are bringing to the world.

So don’t be afraid, step into that courage, go out into the world and proclaim Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

Image: Eucharistic procession from Holy Family Catholic Church, Orlando, FL. January 1, 2025. Image taken by Natalie Emmanuel. Permission for use granted by photographer.

Readings for Mass: Thursday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time