FROM THE SERVANT GENERAL

ON EVANGELIZATION AND MISSION
(Part 19)

DISOBEYING JESUS (Part 2)

December 2, 2011
Today’s reading: Matthew 9:27-31

In today’s gospel we have the story of the two blind men who were healed by Jesus. Now this part is interesting: “Jesus warned them sternly, ‘See that no one knows about this.’ But they went out and spread word of him through all that land.” (Mt 9:30b-31).

They disobeyed Jesus, who had just healed them. But before we judge them too harshly, we can admire them for their zeal. They disobeyed Jesus precisely because he had just healed them. They could not contain their joy. They could not help sharing the good news of their good fortune with others. In fact, they went far and wide, spreading word of Jesus through all the land.

How about us? Jesus does so many wonderful things for us, but how do we express our gratitude? In fact, Jesus tells us to go and proclaim the good news. Do we do so? If we do, do we do so with great zeal and enthusiasm? Jesus tells us to be evangelizers and missionaries. Are we? If we are, do we go about this with endurance, perseverance and doggedness? Jesus tells us to tell the whole world about him. Do we obey?

Now we should never disobey Jesus. But again, let us not be harsh towards the two blind men. There in fact were others.

• The leper healed by Jesus also disobeyed him and publicized what he did (Mk 1:45).
• Jesus healed a deaf man with a speech impediment and the crowd also disobeyed him; in fact the more he ordered them not to, the more they proclaimed it (Mk 7:36).
• Even Mary, her concern rebuffed by Jesus because his time had not yet come, “disobeyed” him by going to the servers and causing Jesus to do what he was not yet ready to do (Jn 2:4-5).
• Paul himself could only proclaim: “woe to me if I do not preach it!” (1 Cor 9:16c).

Now I suspect that Jesus himself was impressed and probably pleased with the two blind men. Did he not at one time commend the dishonest steward for acting prudently (Lk 16:8)? Now the good news is that we do not need to disobey Jesus, for he has already told us to go and proclaim the good news of his salvation to all.

So let us obey. Let us make sure that we spread word of Jesus through all the land, and see to it that everyone knows about him.

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