Luke 8: 1-3
Soon afterwards Jesus went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources.
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
The Company Jesus Keeps
There is an old saying that we are known by the company we keep. Jesus’ company surprised everyone and upset the norms of the day: fishermen, a tax collector, women, the poor, and those whom society had written off.
Yet Jesus looked below the surface. He never looked first at a person’s occupation, reputation, or past. He looked into the heart and saw what God’s grace could make possible.
Those who accepted his invitation were transformed—not into perfect people, but into faithful disciples. This motley crew became the foundation of the Church and reminds us that God is less interested in where we have been than in whether we are willing to follow where he leads.
There is also a beautiful invitation here. During prayer, imagine yourself joining this little caravan as Jesus walks from village to village. No one there has “earned” a place. They are simply people who have responded to his call in different ways. Then ask yourself: “How am I being invited to support Christ’s mission today—with my gifts, my time, my resources, or my witness?”
—Danny Monistere is a member of the Board of Trustees for Montserrat Jesuit Retreat House in Lake Dallas, TX. He is a member of Sacred Heart of Jesus Chinese Parish in Plano, TX.
Prayer
Lord,
Titles and material possessions do not define my place in your caravan. You call each of us out of our unique pasts, inviting us to walk with you just as we are. Take my talents, my time, my professional skills, and my resources today. Help me to look beneath the surface of my daily routines to see where your grace is moving. Grant me the courage to offer whatever I have to support your mission and to be a faithful witness to those I encounter.
Amen.
—Danny Monistere