And when they set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, they encamped in the wilderness; and there Israel encamped before the mountain. And Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him out of the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my own possession among all peoples; for all the earth is mine, and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
Today's Song of Praise is taken from Psalm 100 (Ps 100:1-2, 3, 5):
R. We are his people: the sheep of his flock.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
serve the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful song.
R. We are his people: the sheep of his flock.
Know that the LORD is God;
he made us, his we are;
his people, the flock he tends.
R. We are his people: the sheep of his flock.
The LORD is good:
his kindness endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.
R. We are his people: the sheep of his flock.
Today's Epistle is from the Letter of Paul to the Romans, beginning at the 5th Chapter, and the 6th Verse (Rom5:6-11 ):
While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Why, one will hardly die for a righteous man -- though perhaps for a good man one will dare even to die. But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we are now justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. Not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received our reconciliation.
+ A Reading from the Gospel of Matthew, beginning at the 9th Chapter, and the 36th Verse (Mt 9:36--10:8):
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every infirmity. The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zeb'edee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent out, charging them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And preach as you go, saying, `The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying, give without pay.
Justification and Salvation -- two different things.
Justification -- to the Apostles, the Fathers, and to all Catholics today -- means that we are able to be saved. We are potentially saved It does not mean, as some 16th and 17th-Century Traditions of Men assert, that we are already saved.
"For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life." Notice that Paul says that we are now reconciled, and SHALL be saved.
Salvation -- to the Apostles, the Fathers, and to all Catholics today -- means being in Heaven -- in the presence of God. No one is saved while still on earth.
In his letter to Philemon, St. Paul says: "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" This to members of his flock -- proselytes who have accepted the Word, and been baptized -- they still have to work out their salvation. There are no royal roads, no magic "Sinners' Prayer" that will assure salvation.
We will each of us know we
are finally saved at the Judgement -- when Jesus tells us we can enter
into the glory of the presence of God. Each of us, of whatever station,
high or low, faces the same Judge, and is accountable for what we have
done with our justification.
If salvation is for all. as Paul says in Galatians 3:28 -- "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." -- why does Jesus tell his Apostles: "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."???
Because He had not yet died, to justify all mankind, nor risen, to give them life and salvation. The Apostles at that time were to deal only with God's people -- those of the Covenant of Sinai.
The LORD (Yahweh) said to Moses on the mountain: "...you shall be my own possession among all peoples; for all the earth is mine, and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." Salvation is open to God's chosen people -- through the Old Covenant.
We, however, "...neither Jew nor Greek...", are justified and given the chance of salvation through the Death and Resurrection of Christ -- the New Covenant, in His Blood. Let us pray, therefore, that we may grow in grace and holiness, . . .
In the Name of the Father +
And of the Son +
And of the Holy Spirit +
Amen.