Today’s Gospel:  Luke 6:12-19

REFLECTION
If you've ever been a manager, you know that one of your most difficult and important tasks is hiring the right employee for key positions in your organization. When mistakes are made here -- and they are far too often made -- they are extremely difficult and expensive to repair. Sometimes they can deeply hurt the organization for years to come.

When Jesus embarked on his mission he chose twelve men to be his friends and apostles. In the choice of the twelve, we see a characteristic feature of God's work: Jesus chose very ordinary men. They were non-professionals, who had no wealth or position. They were chosen from the common people who did ordinary things, had no special education, and no social advantages.  Jesus wanted ordinary men who could take an assignment and do it extraordinarily well.  He chose these men, not for what they were, but for what they would be capable of becoming under his direction and power.

Who would be apostles today?  I don't think people can be elected as apostles: God does the selecting. But I would guess that a number of Christian leaders in history would fit like the saints of our time.

The apostles Jesus chose were ordinary men who learned to walk in the Spirit to do extraordinary things. These men are far from perfect, and probably some of their spiritual acuity was less than Jesus desired. Yet, in spite of themselves, God used them powerfully to change the known world in a single generation.

When the Lord calls us to serve, we must not shrug back because we think that we have little or nothing to offer. The Lord takes what ordinary people, like us, can offer and uses it for greatness in his kingdom.  In serving God, our great care should be not to lose time, but to make the end of one good duty the beginning of another.  Make your life an offering to the Lord and allow him to use you as he sees fit.

- MA

Today’s Reading:  1 Cor 6:1-11

PRAYER
Lord, fill me with gratitude and generosity for all you have done for me. Anoint me with power afresh that I might serve you like your holy apostles, who served you to the ends of the earth until you come.  In Jesus’ Name we pray.  Amen.