BEGAN TO SEND THEM OUT TWO BY TWO

Am 7,12-15; Ps 84; Eph 1,3-14; Mk 6,7-13
15 JULY
According to the Ancient Scripture every testimony was valid if made by two concordant witnesses. The Apostles and the missionaries of the Gospel are true witnesses of Christ Jesus.

The testimony of two or three witnesses is required for putting a person to death; no one shall be put to death on the testimony of only one witness. At the execution, the witnesses are to be the first to raise their hands against him; afterward all the people are to join in. Thus shall you purge the evil from your midst (Dt 17,6-7). “One witness alone shall not take the stand against a man in regard to any crime or any offense of which he may be guilty; a judicial fact shall be established only on the testimony of two or three witnesses (Dt 19,15).

In the Book of Qoelet it is announced that when people are by two, they support each other.

Two are better than one: they get a good wage for their labour. If the one falls, the other will lift up his companion. Woe to the solitary man! For if he should fall, he has no one to lift him up. So also, if two sleep together, they keep each other warm. How can one alone keep warm? Where a lone man may be overcome, two together can resist. A three-ply cord is not easily broken (Eccl 4,9-12).

God gave Moses his brother Aaron as a help and support in the mission.

Moses, however, said to the Lord, “If you please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past, nor recently, nor now that you have spoken to your servant; but I am slow of speech and tongue.” The Lord said to him, “Who gives one man speech and makes another deaf and dumb? Or who gives sight to one and makes another blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Go, then! It is I who will assist you in speaking and will teach you what you are to say.” Yet he insisted, “If you please, Lord, send someone else!” Then the Lord Lord became angry with Moses and said, “Have you not your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know that he is an eloquent speaker. Besides, he is now on his way to meet you. When he sees you, his heart will be glad. You are to speak to him, then, and put the words in his mouth. I will assist both you and him in speaking and will teach the two of you what you are to do. He shall speak to the people for you: he shall be your spokesman, and you shall be as God to him. Take this staff in your hand; with it you are to perform the signs” (Ex 4,10-17).

The Holy Spirit wanted that the mission to the pagans was carried out by Paul and Barnabas.

Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Symeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who was a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, completing their fasting and prayer, they laid hands on them and sent them off (At 13,1-3).

Jesus was not sent alone. The Father wrapped him with his Holy Spirit. But he never did his ministry alone. He was always accompanied by his disciples.

He summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick – no food, no sack, no money in their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic. He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there. Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.” So they went off and preached repentance. They drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

Jesus wants his Mother to be with John and John with his Mother.

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home (Jn 19,25-27).

Two-by-two spiritually, disciple and Holy Spirit, disciple and Mother of Jesus. But also physically two by two: apostle with apostle and Christian with Christian.

Mother of Jesus, Angels and Saints ensure that the disciples of Jesus live in perfect communion.