First reading: Ex. 19:2–6a

In those days, the Israelites came to the desert of Sinai and pitched camp. While Israel was encamped here in front of the mountain, Moses went up the mountain to God. Then the LORD called to him and said, “Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob; tell the Israelites: You have seen for yourselves how I treated the Egyptians and how I bore you up on eagle wings and brought you here to myself. Therefore, if you hearken to my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my special possession, dearer to me than all other people, though all the earth is mine. You shall be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.”

Second reading: Rom. 5:6–11

Brothers and sisters: Christ, while we were still helpless, yet died at the appointed time for the ungodly. Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. How much more then, since we are now justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath. Indeed, if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, once reconciled, will we be saved by his life. Not only that, but we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Gospel: Mt. 9:36–10:8

At the sight of the crowds, Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” Then he summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness. The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; Simon from Cana, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.

Jesus sent out these twelve after instructing them thus, “Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”

In other words 

by Fr. Magdaleno Fabiosa, SVD (Holy Name Univeristy, Tagbilaran City, Bohol)

One of the most difficult things to accept in our Christian faith is to believe that despite the burden of our past—from where our sins stare us in the face—God could still love us and accept us with all the weight and the stench of our sinfulness. This awareness of our sinfulness makes us search for ways and means to make ourselves acceptable to God. Thus, like us, generations of Christians have invented innovative religious practices that they believed would make a person acceptable to God. However, even though how faithful and perfect we are in following these religious practices, we know, deep in our hearts, that no human practice can ever make us so clean as to become acceptable to God.

St. Paul was aware of this fact when God made him understand that his love is not something we merit; rather, it is something given to us, for free, despite the wrong things we have done in our lives. Paul never got tired of repeating this the same message: God’s love is given to us for free. The first time he brings this message out is in the Second Reading for today.

He said: It is a difficult thing for someone to die for a righteous person. It may even be that someone might dare to die for a good person. But God has shown us how much he loves us—it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us. By his sacrificial death, we are now put right with God; we were God’s enemies, but he made us friends through the death of his Son. HE HAS DIED FOR US.

What follows is taken from Meditations by Chiara Lubich, Foundress of the Focolare Movement. Each of us can repeat what the apostle Paul said: FOR ME. Yes, Jesus, if you have died for me, how can I doubt your forgiveness, mercy, and love for me? And if I truly believe with a faith that teaches me that A GOD HAS DIED FOR ME, how can I not risk everything in order to respond to this love?

FOR ME: this is the formula that repeals the solitude of those who are most alone and lonesome; that invites every poor person despised and looked down by the entire world; that fills every heart to the brim and makes it overflow on everyone who does not know or remember that good news. FOR ME. Yes, Jesus, all those sufferings were for me. Even that shout of yours was for me. You will never allow my soul and the soul of so many poor sinners like me to be lost, but you will do everything, if for no other reason… than because you have paid so much for us; FOR ME, yes, FOR ME.

Therefore, allow me, Lord, to say the same to you, especially for all the years which remain for me. They are FOR YOU!