Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Friday of the second week in ordinary time, January 23rd, 2026.
The title for our meditation today is: Jesus Appointed the 12 Apostles. Jesus in the Gospel of Mark chapter 3 went up on a hill and called those He wanted, then appointed twelve men to accompany Him, to be sent, and to receive power of preaching the Gospel. This act of "appointing" is not just a choosing, but a divine decision full of power and meaning.
When God acts to appoint, He is teaching men about true authority: the power to lead, to govern, to shepherd, and to unite. God's leadership is never intended to oppress, but rather to organize the people to walk in truth, to be preserved in love, and to grow in strong unity.
We see a similar pattern in the history of salvation of the Israelites. When God appointed David as king, he did not mean that he was merely "appointing a new man," but it also opened the way for Saul to step down from leadership that was no longer in harmony the will of God. God does not just change leaders, but forms a new direction for His people so that the course of the history of salvation remains in harmony with the will of God. David was appointed not because of his human prowess alone, but because he was willing to be formed as a shepherd for the nation. From this we learn that God's decree always has a spiritual purpose: to lead people to repentance, restore order, and redirect life to His plan.
So it was when Jesus appointed the twelve apostles. They were not chosen because they were perfect, but because they were called to enter the formation process. The apostles' first task was not to do the great work immediately, but to "be with Jesus": to be good disciples, to be faithful to the Master, and to keep learning from his heart. The faithfulness of these disciples is the main foundation for the ministry. For one cannot be a preacher of the Gospel without first living in communion with Christ. True service is born from a heart that knows God, not just from skills or positions.
After becoming disciples, the apostles were sent to continue Jesus' work in the world. But the mission reached its fullness when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the event of Pentecost. From there the Church was born as a living communion, not just an organization. The apostles became the bedrock of the Church, and through them, the responsibility of building up God's people began: proclaiming the gospel, administering the sacraments, maintaining unity, and shepherding the people in love. This task was then continued by the Church throughout the ages, with her missionary and apostolic responsibility: sent to the world, but still rooted in the faith of the apostles.
The Church is like a spring of Christ and flows through the apostles to revive many dry places. So we are called to be faithful disciples, and to be part of the Church sent to present Christ to the world.
Let us pray. In the name of the Father ... O Lord Jesus, strengthen us as members of Your Church and lead us in the path of truth and life, so that this Church may be a sign of Your glory that rules the whole world. Our Father who art in heaven... In the name of the Father ...
