Sunday Reflection with Canon Robin Gibbons - June 14 2026

Lampedusa Cross

Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

The opening words of the gospel this Sunday present us the commissioning by Jesus of the twelve disciples, for what we can call their first missionary journey. At the heart of their mandate is the proclamation of the Kingdom, which remains a constant in every other missionary action from that initial trip of that first time to our mission as disciples of the Lord in the present day! We are here to proclaim the Kingdom, that is the good news of Jesus Christ by a two fold ministry of announcing that the reign of God is here and is actively transforming the world, by calling humanity to repent, believe and live out the gospel, namely living and working out each day God's values of love and justice. We do this through word, deed and life!

What do we make of the narrower parameters of Jesus' first commission to the twelve which we find in our gospel today? "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.' (Mt 10:5-7)

We must not for a moment think that these restrictions of Jesus on the mission of the twelve were anything but temporary, a first step so to speak ! As we know so well, his commission was to send his followers out to the ends of the earth. Here in the beginning of the ministry of the twelve, there is prudence and caution at work. The gospel emphasis is always the Kingdom at work now, it is very close at hand, and its values it do not correspond to those of the world, but of God. In this short passage Matthew shows us that the disciples are to proclaim the Kingdom in two ways, by word and compassionate action. These are the enduring and essential tools of all ministry.

Why is there this prohibition of reaching out to the pagans or Samaritans, after all Jesus does not bind himself in this way, but goes out to the poor and least, to the sinner and outcast? To find an answer we need to look at this first stage through a theological and scriptural lens. Sending the disciples to the 'Lost sheep of the house of Israel' is to fulfil the historical promise of God, that the revelation of the Messiah would be initially to his own people before its expansion to the rest of the world. Jesus restricting their ministry by avoiding gentiles, pagans and others is easily understood , and makes sense, if we think of the disciples beginning their mission in a setting they understand and could easily work with, rather than have the added complexities of dealing with other cultures and religious traditions, and of course the setting is their activity with Jesus in his ministry, that further outreach comes as part of a natural development, and as gift of the Spirit after Jesus' resurrection when hearts and minds are opened .

However we cannot be bystanders, the command of Jesus to his twelve disciples and now to all of us in the Church down the ages and into the future is part of our Christian vocation, the commission of the Lord remains the same for all. We are to proclaim the Kingdom here now amongst us with an open and loving generosity of heart and mind for Jesus says to us:

'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."' (Mt 10:8)

Lectio

Pope Francis

HOW IS THE KINGDOM of God possessed? On this point, Jesus is very clear: enthusiasm, the joy of discovery, is not enough. The precious pearl of the kingdom should precede every other earthly good; we must put God first in our lives, prefer Him to everything.

Giving primacy to God means having the courage to say no to evil, violence, oppression, living a life of service to others and in favour of the law and the common good. When a person finds God, the true treasure, they leave a selfish lifestyle and look to share with others the love that comes from God. Whoever becomes a friend of God loves his brothers, is committed to safeguarding their lives and their health, also respecting the environment and nature. I know that you suffer for these things.

Today, when I arrived, one of you has approached me and said: Father, give us hope. But I cannot give you hope, I can tell you that where Jesus is, there is hope; where there is Jesus, each person loves all other persons like brothers, committed to safeguarding their lives and their health and also respecting the environment and nature. This is the hope which never disappoints, the one that Jesus gives! This is particularly important in your beautiful land that needs to be protected and preserved. It requires you to have the courage to say no to any form of corruption and lawlessness, it requires everyone to be servants of the truth and to assume every situation in the style of the living Gospel, which is manifested in the gift of self and attention to the poor and the excluded.

+ Homily at Mass in Caserta, July 26, 2014

Pope Leo XIV

Apostolic Journey of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV to Spain (6 - 12 June 2026) - Holy Mass in the Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 12.06.2026

From the homily

But the Heart of Jesus shows us how not to get lost in a futile struggle: "God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him" (1 Jn 4:9). It is in giving of ourselves that we truly live. Otherwise, we spin in a void. Indeed, "as the Council recalled, human persons are called to communion with God and 'can fully discover their true selves only in sincere self-giving.' Indeed, their deepest vocation is to enter into the Trinitarian dynamic of love received" (Encyclical Letter Magnifica Humanitas, 48).

Pope Francis likewise observed: "Many people today sense a profound imbalance which drives them to frenetic activity and makes them feel busy, in a constant hurry, which in turn leads them to ride rough-shod over everything around them. This too affects how they treat the environment" (Encyclical Letter Laudato Si', 225).

These words also challenge Tenerife in its vocation to hospitality, speaking both to the hearts of those who choose to spend their vacations here and to those of the people who live and work on the island, welcoming visitors from so many countries around the world. What does the human heart seek? How can we respond to its thirst in a way that is not disingenuous? It is important, especially for those who are guided by the Gospel, not to reduce everything to commerce and profit.

"Those who enjoy more and live better each moment are those who have given up dipping here and there, always on the look-out for what they do not have. They experience what it means to appreciate each person and each thing, learning familiarity with the simplest things and how to enjoy them. So they are able to shed unsatisfied needs, reducing their obsessiveness and weariness" (Ibid., 223).

Understand your vocation to hospitality in this way, dear brothers and sisters