Father Albertus Herwanta, O. Carm
Today we continue our liturgy for Sunday in Ordinary Time. As we are in Year A, we read the Gospel of Matthew. We can understand it in connection with the first reading. What can we meditate on from today's readings?
Salvation is a gift, but it calls for joyful acceptance and a changed life.
The first reading from Exodus reveals the foundation of divine mission: God's liberating action. He reminds Israel, "I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself" (Exodus 19:4). This rescue from slavery is purely God's initiative, yet it demands a human response—listening to His voice and keeping His covenant. Israel's participation would transform them into a "kingdom of priests and a holy nation." Thus, even in the Old Testament, God's work invites human cooperation, not passive reception.
Saint Paul deepens this truth in Romans by showing the radical nature of divine love. Christ died for the ungodly, for sinners, and even for enemies (Romans 5:6-10). Human beings contributed nothing to their salvation; they were powerless and hostile. Yet God acted first, reconciling the world to Himself through Jesus' death. Paul's message is clear: salvation is a gift, but it calls for joyful acceptance and a changed life. Those who are justified will be saved through Christ's life, participating by living in that grace.
Matthew's Gospel brings this participation into sharp focus. Jesus sees the crowds as troubled and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:36). His compassion is the source of mission, yet He does not act alone. He summons His twelve disciples and imparts His authority over unclean spirits and every disease. By sending them out with specific instructions, Jesus models that human participation is not an afterthought but an integral part of His saving work. The disciples proclaim the Kingdom, heal the sick, and raise the dead—tasks that mirror Jesus' own ministry.
God has done everything, but He waits for our free response. We cannot earn salvation, but we can surely share it.
This pattern echoes creation itself, where God placed Adam in the garden "to work it and keep it" (Genesis 2:15). From the beginning, God's mission included human stewardship. Now, through Christ, that mission expands to the restoration of all creation. The disciples are not mere spectators but active coworkers in the harvest. Their participation is both a privilege and a responsibility, showing that divine mission does not bypass humanity but elevates it.
Given this biblical testimony, we must honestly ask: Have we actively participated in Jesus' work of salvation? Too often, we reduce salvation to personal belief or church attendance, forgetting the outward movement of compassion and healing. Active participation means seeing the harassed crowds around us—the lonely, the sick, the unjustly treated—and responding with concrete acts of mercy. It means using whatever authority or resources we have to bring the Kingdom near, just as the disciples did.
The challenge of today's readings is clear: God has done everything, but He waits for our free response. We cannot earn salvation, but we can surely share it. Let us examine our daily choices: Do we proclaim the Good News through our words and actions? Do we heal broken relationships? Do we cast out demons of hatred and despair? Active participation begins with small, faithful steps. The mission is divine, but the invitation is human—and it stands open to each of us today. (*)