They preached repentance

Heb 12,18-19.21-24; Ps 47; Mk 6,7-13
7 FEBRUARY

Conversion is a perennial change, an uninterrupted journey of every man towards the full light of the mystery of the Father, of Christ Jesus and of the Holy Spirit. Since man is called to a permanent conversion, he must permanently verify his thoughts. The principle of verification of everything is the Word of the Lord, the one contained in the canonical books, which are the Holy Scriptures. Since Holy Scripture has been delivered to the Apostles, their faith must be laid at the foundation of our conversion. The faith of the Apostles is contained in the Tradition of the Church and in its Magisterium. Scripture cannot be read without the very pure faith of the Church. But even it will never be true reading if it contradicts the faith of the Apostles. According to this truth theology must also be converted to the Word. It is born of the Word and of the Gospel, but it must be converted to the Gospel. Never might it be placed over the Word. It must let itself be checked and interpreted by the Word. Thus the theology that interprets the Word, must always be interpreted by the Word. But the truth must also be converted to the Word. How is the truth converted to the Word? Through listening to the Holy Spirit, given by the Father, through Christ, so that he may lead to the whole truth. A truth that does not listen to the Spirit is of yesterday, but not of today. Today the Holy Spirit must be heard for today and tomorrow for tomorrow. It is He who must lead the disciples in the Father’s will so that full obedience may be lent to it. Yesterday, we obeyed for yesterday. Today, we obey for today. Tomorrow we will obey for tomorrow. The Spirit asks and the disciple obeys.
The Apostles must go to every man to preach conversion. At that historic moment it consisted of asking people to open themselves to the kingdom of God that was about to break into their lives. We cannot accept the kingdom of God of today, living in the kingdom of God of yesterday. Yesterday, the kingdom of God was imperfect. Today it is perfect. Here is the true conversion: leaving the imperfect kingdom of God, passing into the perfect kingdom of God. Jesus reveals this conversion through a Word, whose light must enlighten believers in Him: “If your righteousness will not exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven”. Old justice is not enough to be the real kingdom of God, it is necessary to enter the new one which is the Sermon on the Mount. The old truth, the old love, the old mercy and the old commandment of sanctity are not even enough. One must enter the new truth, love, mercy, law, commandment and holiness. From the Prophets, including Moses, one must pass to Christ the Lord, to his Word, to his Gospel, to his Church and to the purest faith in his Person. Today we must be converted to the mystery of Jesus, making it become our mystery.
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.
The disciples must not only preach conversion to the kingdom of God that is near. They must also show the presence of the kingdom. How will they show the kingdom of God in the middle of the world? With the exercise of the powers that Jesus gave them. They have the government of creation. They can perform every miracle. Nothing is impossible for them. They must also show the whole world that they have no interest in the things of this world. The material “nudity” with which they present themselves must reassure everyone. They do not go into the world to ask, take and extort. They just go to give in the greatest gratuity. By acting in this way, people will see the presence of the kingdom of God and can, if they wish, be converted to it. If the kingdom is not received, the disciples must shake the dust off their feet and go elsewhere.
Mother of God, Angels and Saints, help us so that we too can manifest the kingdom.