The Gospel for Thursday of the 14th week in ordinary time is taken from St. Matthew 10:7, 15 Jesus said to his apostles, as you go, make this proclamation, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received, without cost you are to give. Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts, no sack for the journey or second tunic or sandals or walking stick. The labor deserves his keep.

Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it and stay there until you leave. As you enter a house, wish it peace. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it. If not, let your peace return to you. Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words, go outside the house or town and shake the dust from your feet. Amen.

I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the Day of Judgment than for that town. When Jesus sends out his apostles, he gives them great advice. And we should take that advice into our own lives. As we proclaim the Kingdom of God, a way of life that brings life, we are not to offer it with any expectations. It is not up to us to make someone receive it. It is simply ours to give as it was given to us.

Foreign Father, as we do your work, it is hard for us not to get engaged too deeply in our own ego and our own needs and wants. Bless us with the freedom to be true instruments of sharing a gift that we have received. And we ask this in Jesus name. Amen.