THEY ARE TWELVE
Our meditation today has the theme: They are Twelve. "The next day, when it was noon, He called His disciples and chose from among them twelve, whom He called apostles." This description is taken from the today's Gospel text. Jesus chose the twelve who had passed the selection criteria during about three years of living together. It should be different from the selection for public offices which require professionalism and specialization, for the selection of the twelve apostles was based absolutely on Jesus' own standard.
There is only one criterion, namely the choice of the very simple people. They were so simple as indicated in their being and situation in life such as fishermen, sinners, tax collectors, manual workers, outcasts in the community. They were not educated and socially influential people. Jesus chose and made them his closest collaborators in His mission not because of who they were, but for what and who they would become according to His will and power. This is really a very subjective criterion, but at the same time it fulfilled all aspects of propriety and truth. None of us can object or protest this kind of election.
The interpretation of the number 12 gives us an important meaning. This is a representation of the twelve tribes of Israel. The people of Israel were the first choice to whom Jesus was sent into the world. In a real sense, all of us followers of Christ are the elect. Therefore the 12 apostles also refers to all of us members of the Church already consecrated in baptism by the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus Christ. We also participate in the life and work with Jesus, then are chosen and given the responsibility to form the one community of believers, namely the Church. So we are chosen to live as brothers and sisters in Christ.
As the people belong to Christ, says Saint Paul in the first reading, we must remain united with Him, our lives rooted in Him and built on Him. We should protect our unity in this holy Church from other empty and false teachings that come from the spirits of this world. We are called personally and we are also strengthened by the call for unity with the apostles to build the fellowship of the church, so we must fight against this current of falsehood.
It is true that we are called to go to church together, to pray together, to work together, but more than that, we are actually called to be in communion with the holy Trinity, to be one as Jesus and the Father are one. This is the principle of our understanding about the twelve apostles, that all of us are united in God.
Let's pray. In the name of the Father... O Father almighty, we ask You to open our minds and hearts so that in sincerity we can live out the promise of our holy baptism in the Church to its fullness. Glory to the Father... In the name of the Father...