Heaven is near

In today’s gospel reading, Jesus summons his inner circle of twelve disciples. Moreover, these twelve disciples are now called apostles.

A disciple is a follower, someone who learns from a teacher and assimilates that teaching into his own life. An apostle is someone who is sent out on a mission, someone who is deputed to disseminate the teaching of the master to others.

The two roles are complementary. All of us who are called to be disciples are also expected to be apostles, actively sharing our faith with others.

Applied to the twelve men the word ‘apostle’ does have a special sense. They would become, so to speak, the pillars or foundations on which the new Church would be built, with Peter as their leader. They would have the special role of handing on and interpreting the tradition they had received from Jesus, a role which in turn they handed on to what we now call the bishops, with the pope, as leader and spokesperson.

Later on, Paul as well as Barnabas would be added to their number, and Matthias would be chosen to replace the betrayer Judas. In fact, it is interesting to see the mixed bunch of people that Jesus chose. We know nearly nothing about most of them but they were for the most part simple people, some of them definitely uneducated and perhaps even illiterate. And yet we see the extraordinary results they produced and the unstoppable movement they set in motion. The only explanation is that it was ultimately the work of God through the Holy Spirit.

The first instructions they are given are to confine their activities to their own people. They are not to go to pagans at this stage or even to the Samaritans. As the heirs to the covenant and as God’s people, the Jews are to be the first to be invited to follow the Messiah and experience his saving power. And their proclamation is the same one that Jesus gave at the outset of his public preaching: “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” That is, heaven is near.

There are times in our lives when all we know is the bad news. We feel that heaven is just so far away. Our woundedness and sinful brokenness can contribute to this feeling. But today’s gospel gives the true picture: that God is near, that heaven is near. This is the good news that we need to hear again and again. Heaven is near and one just has to turn around and enter it. We need to turn from our old idea about God, sin, and hell, and embrace the new revelation of God manifested in Jesus Christ. The good news is that our sins are forgiven, and our woundedness is healed. We can always celebrate that in our confession. We are safe. No more fear. No more doubt.

And the merciful surprise is this: God loves you precisely in your woundedness and sinfulness. He loves you precisely in your obstinate unworthiness. The very blocks of my life can become my gifts. Our woundedness and brokenness can become true gifts. Whatever be our woundedness and brokenness, they could become true spaces of grace. God can touch us, and reveal Himself precisely in our woundedness and brokenness. God can resurrect our deaths, and give new life to us.