All of us helping all of us | Mark 6:7-13

Summary

In this sermon, Father Warner reflects on the mission Jesus shared with His disciples, focusing on Mark 6:7-13. He emphasizes Jesus' empowerment of the imperfect twelve apostles, despite their human flaws, to carry out His mission. Father Warner shares personal anecdotes about overcoming challenges and stresses the importance of being open to God's grace rather than seeking perfection. He encourages faithfulness and trust in God's providence, urging listeners to embrace their calling and serve with dedication. The sermon concludes with prayers for vocations and the laypeople who support church ministries.

Takeaways

• 😀 Jesus empowers his disciples by giving them authority, despite being rejected by his own townsfolk.
• 🕊️ Jesus sends out his disciples in pairs, instructing them to take minimal provisions to emphasize trust in God's providence.
• 🙏 The mission of Jesus is inclusive, involving all of us helping each other.
• 📜 The authority Jesus gives to his disciples includes the power to cast out unclean spirits and heal the sick.
• 🌍 Jesus chooses imperfect people for his mission, showing that he values openness to grace over perfection.
• 💪 Jesus's disciples often doubted and sought personal glory, but their mission remained to proclaim repentance and healing.
• 🛡️ The simplicity of the disciples' journey reflects the urgency of their mission and reliance on divine provision.
• 📖 Despite their flaws, the disciples were given full authority and were integral to Jesus's ministry.
• 💼 If judged by worldly standards, the disciples might be seen as 'losers,' but Jesus saw their potential and empowered them.
• 💖 Jesus's mission is not about individual success but about faithfulness and service to others.

Q & A

What is the main theme of Father Warner's teaching?

The main theme of Father Warner's teaching is about Jesus empowering his disciples and how God's plan includes all of us helping each other.

What scripture is the teaching based on?

The teaching is based on Mark 6:7-13.

What authority did Jesus give to his disciples?

Jesus gave his disciples authority over unclean spirits.

What does Father Warner say about Jesus' reaction to rejection?

Father Warner explains that Jesus did not give up after being rejected by his own townsfolk. Instead, he empowered others and continued his mission.

How does Father Warner describe the apostles chosen by Jesus?

Father Warner describes the apostles as ordinary people with imperfections, whom the world might consider as 'losers,' but Jesus chose them and empowered them.

What does Father Warner say about God's choice of people for his mission?

Father Warner states that God does not look for perfect people but uses imperfect people who are open to his grace.

How does Father Warner relate his personal experience with mathematics to his teaching?

Father Warner shares that he struggled with mathematics in school but eventually did well in college, illustrating that God can use anyone, regardless of their past struggles.

What is the significance of the lack of creature comforts for the apostles?

The lack of creature comforts for the apostles signifies the urgency of their mission and the trust they must place in God's providence.

What is Father Warner's view on the challenges faced by clergy and religious life?

Father Warner acknowledges that the priesthood and religious life are challenging, with demands on time and emotional exhaustion, but emphasizes the importance of faithfulness to God's calling.

What prayer does Father Warner offer for lay people and vocations?

Father Warner prays for lay people who serve the church, asking for strength and encouragement, and he also prays for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

Outlines

00:00

📖 Mission and Empowerment of the Twelve Apostles

In this opening segment, Father Warner begins by setting the scene for the day's reflection, which is based on Mark 6:7-13. He discusses Jesus' empowerment of the Twelve Apostles, sending them out with authority over unclean spirits and minimal provisions. Despite facing rejection, Jesus remains steadfast in his mission, contrasting his perseverance with the Apostles' later doubts and quest for personal glory. Father Warner emphasizes that Jesus chose to share his mission and authority with imperfect individuals, highlighting that divine selection does not depend on human perfection but on openness to God's grace.

05:04

🤔 Imperfection as a Vessel for God's Mission

Father Warner reflects on the seemingly flawed nature of the Twelve Apostles, describing them through a modern lens as 'losers' by human standards. He recounts their actions such as betrayal, denial, and abandonment, yet stresses how Jesus entrusted them with significant authority. Drawing from personal experiences, Father Warner illustrates that God does not seek perfect individuals but those willing to be shaped by His grace. He shares his own struggles with inadequacy and how God's grace enabled him to overcome personal challenges, underscoring that divine choice is about faithfulness rather than perfection.

10:10

🌟 Trusting in God's Providence and Mission

In this section, Father Warner discusses the urgency and trust required in the mission assigned by Jesus. He explains that the apostles were instructed to travel with minimal belongings not to promote poverty but to emphasize the need for reliance on God's provision. He shares his experiences of starting his ministry during challenging times, where despite uncertainties, God's providence continually manifested through generous support from the community. Father Warner encourages the audience to trust in God's plan and provision in their own lives and missions.

15:20

🙏 Prayer and Commitment in Ministry

Father Warner concludes with a prayer, focusing on the need for dedication and support in the ministry. He prays for those feeling called to serve the church, highlighting the challenges faced by clergy and lay ministers alike. He acknowledges the vital role of laypeople in the church and their often-unrecognized contributions. Additionally, he prays for more vocations and encourages young people to respond to God's call. Father Warner expresses gratitude for the community's support of his ministry and emphasizes the importance of faithfulness over success in serving God.

Keywords

💡Mission

In the context of the video, 'mission' refers to the task or calling that Jesus gave to his disciples, which is to spread his teachings and perform acts of healing. This is highlighted in the passage where Jesus sends out the twelve apostles with authority over unclean spirits, emphasizing their role in continuing his work.

💡Authority

Authority in the video is the power given by Jesus to his disciples to cast out unclean spirits and heal the sick. This authority is derived from Jesus's own divine power and is a central theme as it underscores the disciples' role in extending Jesus's ministry.

💡Rejection

Rejection is a significant theme, as it refers to Jesus being rejected by his own family and townsfolk, yet continuing his mission undeterred. The video explains how this rejection did not hinder Jesus but instead motivated him to empower others.

💡Imperfect People

The term 'imperfect people' is used to describe the disciples, whom Jesus chose despite their flaws and shortcomings. The video stresses that God does not seek perfect individuals but rather those who are open to his grace and willing to carry out his mission.

💡Provision

Provision refers to God's promise to provide for those on a mission, emphasizing trust in divine providence rather than relying on material possessions. This is illustrated when Jesus instructs his disciples to take nothing for their journey except a staff.

💡Faithfulness

Faithfulness is highlighted as a key virtue, where the video encourages staying committed to God's call despite challenges and uncertainties. It references Mother Teresa's belief that God calls people to be faithful, not necessarily successful.

💡Vocation

Vocation is the calling to serve in a religious capacity, such as priesthood or lay ministry. The video emphasizes the importance of answering this call and the need for more vocations within the church.

💡Empowerment

Empowerment in the video refers to Jesus giving his disciples the ability to carry out his mission. This includes the authority over unclean spirits and the responsibility to preach and heal, signifying a transfer of divine power.

💡Lay Ministers

Lay ministers are non-ordained members of the church who take on significant roles in ministry. The video highlights their contributions and the need for recognition and support for their efforts in church activities.

💡Trust in Providence

Trust in Providence is the concept of relying on God's provision and guidance in fulfilling one's mission. The video encourages this trust by sharing examples of how God provided for the needs of the ministry, even in unexpected ways.

Highlights

Father Warner begins by introducing the text from Mark chapter 6, verses 7 to 13.

Jesus empowers the twelve apostles by giving them authority over unclean spirits.

Jesus instructs the apostles to travel light, taking only a staff and sandals, emphasizing trust in God's providence.

Despite their imperfections, Jesus chooses the apostles for the mission, highlighting that God does not require perfection.

Father Warner shares a personal story about struggling with mathematics in school and how he overcame it, illustrating that God uses imperfect people.

The apostles, though given authority, sometimes seek personal glory and power, showcasing human flaws.

Jesus' mission includes all of us helping each other, starting with the twelve apostles.

Jesus' plan for salvation involves communal effort rather than individual perfection.

Father Warner discusses the importance of faithfulness over success, referencing Mother Teresa's philosophy.

God provides for those who trust in His mission, as demonstrated by the support received for Father Warner's ministry.

The lack of creature comforts in the mission emphasizes the urgency and reliance on God's providence.

Father Warner shares the challenges faced by clergy and laypeople in serving the church, urging respect and collaboration.

A prayer for vocations and for the support of laypeople in church ministries, acknowledging the struggles faced.

Encouragement for those who feel unworthy to serve, reminding them that God empowers the called.

Father Warner thanks the supporters of his ministry and emphasizes the importance of continuing to nourish the community through the Eucharist.

Transcripts

good morning everybody it's nine o'clock and nine  o'clock is with me father warner we are in the  

thursday of the fourth week in ordinary time  our text today is taken from mark chapter six  

verse seven to thirteen and i've entitled  today's teaching all of us helping all of us  

so let's read the text first open your bibles mark  chapter 6 verse 7 to 13. then he went about among  

the villagers teaching he called the twelve and  began to send them out two by two and gave them  

authority over unclean spirits he ordered them  to take nothing for the journey except a staff no  

bread no bag no money in their bells but to wear  sandals and to put and not to put on two tunics  

he said to them wherever you enter a house stay  there until you leave the place if any place will  

not welcome you and they refuse to hear you as  you leave shake of the dust that is on your feet  

as a testimony against them so they went  out and proclaimed that all should repent

they cast out many demons and anointed  with oil many were sick and cured them  

the gospel of the lord praise  be to you lord jesus christ  

i think that most people would simply roll over  and give up if they were rejected by their very  

own family in the pursuit of their missions or  their dreams we've seen several people in life who  

have told you that they felt tremendously rejected  by the fact that their family did not accept them  

or accept the way in which they wanted to move  in life now that's not the case with jesus  

when you look at the gospels you will realize that  jesus does not give up because he was rejected by  

his own townsfolk in fact in the gospel of mark  you will see that he is rejected by his family  

by the people from nazareth he does not give up  he simply gives in to the mission of his father  

having been rejected himself experiencing  that rejection he does quite the opposite  

when it comes to others he empowers the others  and in particular today he empowers the twelve  

and what kind of power he gives them he gives them  the word is authority in verse seven his authority  

given to him by the father his very authority  he hands over or rather he shares that authority  

with his disciples he give he gives them  authority in particular over unclean spirits  

yet as we see and we will see later  these very 12 empowered apostles  

will also begin to doubt the mission of  jesus and that doubt is seen in various ways  

not just i doubt the lord and what he is doing  but that doubt is often seen in our behavior  

when instead of focusing on his mission i focus  on myself because the apostles will begin to seek  

for themselves personal glory they will seek for  themselves power they who had authority who have  

been given authority such tremendous authority  rather seek personal glory and seek power  

but for now the gospel of today  focuses on the mission that jesus  

shares with them and that's why the title today  also is the mission of the twelve you will find  

this text in the gospel of matthew in chapter  10 verse 5-15 in the gospel of luke chapter 9  

1 verses 1 to 6. so in all the three  synoptics you will find the mission of the 12.  

now looking at all of this makes one sit  up and take notice of the fact that jesus  

in that sense could have easily run this entire  ship by himself he didn't need the others  

but jesus is not a solo artist he's after all  god and he most certainly did not need our help

but that's exactly what he did  you see jesus's plan for salvation  

included all of us helping all of us and he began  with 12. now if jesus ever started a company  

an organization of his own um  a business of his own i think  

jesus would have hit losses in the very  first month simply because by human standards  

the people who he chose the 12 that he picked  up for mission could only be categorized  

in today's terminology as losers now i'm not  calling the 12 apostles losers i'm simply saying  

that the way the world looks if they look at their  bio data of the 12 or did a background search on  

them or checked up their history on on facebook or  any of their social media accounts they would have  

said these 12 guys chosen by jesus are complete  losers their actions if you look at them i mean i  

can just imagine saying peter's facebook page what  it would have looked like his actions ranged from  

together their actions ranged from betrayal  denial peter denied the lord abandonment they ran  

away from him at the garden of gethsemane they had  fits of anger i mean look at peter he which person  

just takes off a sword and  starts chopping off people's ears  

they had tremendous doubts can anything come from  nazareth they had unrestrained opinions about  

you know shall we call down fire  and brimstone upon our enemies  

they had just about every opinion and  rather they seem sometimes a bit unhinged  

yet if you look at the way jesus operates who did  he give authority to he gave authority admission  

to what the world would have considered  complete losers which brings me to the  

point i really want to make looking at today's  text god never looks for perfect people but god  

takes imperfection imperfection in all of us  there's only one thing that god demands from us  

he doesn't demand for us to be perfect  he demands for us to be open to his grace

i don't know whether i've ever shared this with  you but i share this very often at children's mass  

but i tell the children that you know  when i was in the seventh standard  

i could barely pass mathematics i was in  st mary's icsc i took a distinct dislike  

to a particular mathematics teacher i still  know her name but i'm not going to say it  

and she made my life very very hard i think  it made me feel very small very little  

and i hated mathematics and i detested  mathematics all the way to my 10th standard

and yet when i reached college in saint andrews  i took commerce i simply did so well yeah  

if god if the world had to look at father warner  in the seventh standard they would have said i  

don't think this guy is capable of being a priest  he's not capable of passing his examinations  

and i want to also say this that  i had to work very very hard  

even in the seminary even now i people think  oh father it comes to you many people say  

oh it must be so easy for you to  preach your homily no it's not  

i'm not perfect i often admit to very close  people i can tell you this that if ever if i  

have to raise a toast till today my hands tremble  when i'm standing there yeah i have a nice trick  

to calm my trembling hands i always ask for a mic  stand and a mic so i hold on to the mic so that  

i don't tremble too much but i still get nervous  and it's my it sounds strange god doesn't choose  

perfect people he chooses imperfect people you  know when the when jesus gave the 12 authority  

and mandate he it was really an extension  of his own ministry of teaching and healing  

jesus did not make the 12 that he chose  today some kind of part-time assistance no  

when god chooses us he  makes us full-time ministers  

now you will also see that jesus demands  a certain lack of creature comforts  

why does he do that the lack of creature comforts  for the mission is not to be interpreted merely  

as a life of poverty some people reading this  would feel oh my goodness i mean no bread no bag  

i can just take a stuff and i can wear  sandals i can't even carry two tunics  

is this interpreted as a life of  poverty for the apostles for me no  

it's rather to communicate the urgency  of the mission and the trust one has  

one is to put in god in god's providence that  when i take on mission when i take on a new parish  

and i know i i know i'm teaching you this  but sometimes i fail in my own myself

god wants us to trust in his providence that he  will provide he will take care of us and i can  

tell you i'm a witness of this because i have  to often say to the lord depart from me lord  

i'm a sinful man because i didn't trust in your  providence but god provides tremendously for us  

and so he says to all of us admission i will  provide for you you know when i started this  

these recordings i had no clue we didn't even  want to do it cover just imposed it on us  

but i remember initially um we needed a very  good iphone camera which was i think about a  

lack of rupees we needed a computer which  was a lack of rupees we needed um some you  

know these stands and these wires and these  mics and these lights and and it came in fact  

through many of you i believe god still provides  there's so much of work here that we have achieved  

in seven months uh i said it the other day in my  pastoral message which has come primarily because  

of wonderful people who have helped us to work  for this ministry both the online ministries saint  

stephens the saint stephen stable the church the  love joy hope foundation even when the love joy  

hope foundation moved to goa we didn't know what  was god's plan and he provided us with a home he  

provided us with donors you continue to to reach  out and help us so in that sense god helps us

now today i've spent um quite a lot of time  teaching you this there are many many takeaways  

from many lessons that we can learn from today's  gospel i want you to just sit back pick one of  

these messages and see what is it that god is  calling me to is he calling me to mission is  

he calling me to share in that mission even  a mission where he shares his authority to  

to take away unclean spirits what is god calling  me to is he calling me to a simpler way of life  

to bear testimony to him so don't be i want  to say this don't be too upset sometimes when  

you feel you know how can god call me there are  people who feel i am so unworthy i am so unworthy  

yeah god can call anyone remember when he calls he  empowers so don't worry about are you going to be  

a good preacher are you going to be a good teacher  are you going to be successful just be faithful  

that's all mother teresa always said this god has  not called me to be successful she said god has  

called me to be faithful you stay faithful to god  and god will provide for your every need someone  

thank you for joining me in this morning's session  i want to pray with you together because that's  

the most important thing it also gives me an  opportunity to continue to spend my day in these  

little moments of prayer so let us pray together  the father the son and the holy spirit amen  

lord i want to pray today for all those who may  feel called to serve you to serve your church  

but to feel diffident

lord

the priesthood and the  religious life is no longer easy  

we are few the demands on our time

the exhaustion sometimes we feel

the emotional disconnect from people sometimes  the demands all of this makes it so difficult  

and yes lord we continue to say yes to  you fill the yes of your lay ministers  

fill the yes of your priests fill the yes of  your religious sisters and brothers and men  

with the power that comes from you alone  the authority that comes from you alone

i want to pray especially  for many many lay people lord  

who serve your church never  being even sometimes recognized

i want to pray for them especially  in their moments of discouragement  

when they feel they want to give up

i want to pray lord jesus that we clergy  and religious may also share our ministry  

with the lay people respecting them  respecting their time respecting their energy

i want to pray today for  vocations i know lord that

it's been so difficult these last few  years here in the archdiocese of bombay  

we've been struggling two  vocations three vocations

i pray that

you may touch today the hearts of young people

i pray for many many more lay collaborators  to join their church ministries we are so few  

lord in every parish we see the same faces doing  everything but the outer circle continues to grow

a circle that does not seem  to want to serve your church  

i pray for them to lord touch  their hearts touch their lives

in your loving name i make this prayer amen  

the lord be with you and me almighty god bless  you the father the son and the holy spirit amen  

um i want to thank you for joining me each day for  nine o'clock with father warner as you are also  

aware we've been broadcasting the mass year from  saint stephen's mostly we've been broadcasting  

them live this entire week we'll be broadcasting  it live but when i travel i have already begun to  

record some of the masses in the for the future so  that you constantly are nourished by the eucharist  

i don't forget to like this video to share it  with your friends don't forget to subscribe to  

this channel if you haven't done it re leave your  comments and thank you once again i thank you  

during this talk that i gave but i want to thank  you again for all of you who support this ministry  

for the love joy hope foundation that you support  on behalf of nadia and leni suarez myself and my  

staff wilson and ryan i want to thank you  for all that you do for us god bless you

you