In today’s gospel (Mark 6:7-13) we hear Jesus sending out the twelve disciples, instructing them to preach about the coming Kingdom of God.  Earlier this week, we heard about the same event in chapter 10 of Matthew’s gospel.  Matthew stresses the importance of bringing people to God not just by words but more so by actions.  According to Matthew, as the disciples are sent  out, Jesus instructs  them to spread God’s kingdom by performing  loving actions for those in need – healing the sick, cleansing lepers, driving out demons.  Jesus is asking his disciples to help make people “whole”.

It is the same for us.  Just like those original twelve disciples we are called to spread God’s kingdom in our world – not just by our words but by our loving actions.  We are called to attend to those in need, to look out for each other, to be patient with each other, to give each other the benefit of the doubt, to forgive rather than hold grudges, to put others before ourselves.  We are called to help reconcile people to each other and to God.  More than our words, it is by our loving actions that we best reveal God’s love, that we help others turn to God, that we help others become whole.