Today we have some beautiful readings. The first is from the Book of Ezra, which, to give you a bit of background, was set in the fifth century BC, after the Babylonian exile. The people of God had been liberated from Babylon by King Cyrus, the founder of the Persian Empire. They were free—free to return and begin rebuilding their home, Jerusalem.
Ezra was a scribe and also a priest at that time. He was sent back around 458 BC with the mission of teaching the law of God to the people. His role was to ensure that proper worship in the rebuilt Temple was carried out and to help reform religious practices that had become lax or compromised.
In today’s first reading, Ezra laments a particular sin that weighed heavily upon him and his people: the Jewish people had begun marrying into pagan cultures. This was not so much an ethnic concern as it was a matter of faith. The company we keep influences the kind of people we become. That is why we should stay close to the saints, who inspire us to holiness, rather than to the worldly, who draw us away from God and toward passing things. Ezra had this mission from God, and so he prayed with deep humility:
“My God, I am too ashamed and confounded to raise my face to you, O my God, for our wicked deeds are heaped up above our heads, and our guilt reaches up to heaven.”
Ezra gives voice to what many of us often feel when we approach God. Yet the Lord is tender and merciful, always ready to heal us.
In today’s Gospel, we see Jesus casting out demons and curing diseases. But even more striking, he entrusts this same power and ministry to the Twelve Apostles. He prays over them and makes them participants in his unique role as Saviour.
Some people say, “I don’t need to confess to a priest. Only God can forgive sins.” That is true—but God himself chose to give this authority to men. After the Resurrection, Jesus breathed on the Apostles and said: “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven, and whose sins you retain are retained.” He gave them the ministry of absolution—something only God can do—but which he generously shares so that we may enter more deeply into relationship with him.
In the Gospel today, Jesus sends out the Apostles to cast out demons, cure diseases, proclaim the Kingdom of God, and heal the sick. Even preaching, as I am doing now, is in reality something only God can truly do—for Jesus himself, who is God, was the perfect preacher of the Kingdom. Yet in his love, he allows us to be partakers in his mission of evangelization.
This mission is not limited to the Apostles or to priests. It extends to all of us who are baptized Catholics. When Jesus ascended into heaven, he did not leave us idle. He commanded us to proclaim the Good News, bring healing, forgive, and set captives free. What captives? Those who are imprisoned by guilt, shame, or resentment.
You too can be a healer today. If you forgive others, if you extend mercy as our loving Father desires, then you share in Christ’s mission. That is the calling of every Christian—every day. Amen.
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