Jesus chooses the Twelve after a night of prayer.

AFTER A NIGHT SPENT IN PRAYER, JESUS CHOSE THE 12 OFFICERS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH.

"Jesus departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles:

"Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called a Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

"And he came down with them and stood on a stretch of level ground.

"A great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and even those who were tormented by unclean spirits were cured.

"Everyone in the crowd sought to touch him because power came forth from him and healed them all."  (Luke 6: 12 - 13).

Tuesday of the 23rd week of Ordinary Time. It is time for Jesus to choose and call His close friends.

After a night spent in prayer, Jesus undertakes one of the most important tasks in His mission: Choosing His 12 Apostles. No nation takes lightly the choice of its leaders. Elections are organized and campaigns undertaken for a couple of years.

We see a variety of gifts and personalities in the 12 men chosen to be close associates of Jesus. All the men were from lower class of society, poor, uneducated, untraveled and timid. Jesus Himself would be their Teacher and Master while He remained with them. Then the Holy Spirit will finish the job of preparing them for their lives' work.

Consider for a moment this stupendous fact:  These 12 chosen men are sent out to convert and transform the world. This world includes the Roman and Greek empires! Are you kidding me? Well it happened. This is to show us that it is the power of God in them, the power of the Holy Spirit, the Gift of the Father that did the job. That same power is still available for you and for me. The chosen Apostles chose to use the power and the seed of the kingdom of God on earth was established.

Pray for your Bishops. They are the legitimate successors of the Twelve. Be careful how you criticize and condemn them because as you judge so shall you be judged. (Cf Matthew 7: 2).

"You are just, O Lord, and your judgement is right; treat your servant in accord with your merciful love." (Psalm 118: 137, 124).

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com