So be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves

12 JULY (Mt 10,16-23)

That the mission of salvation was not at all easy, already Moses reveals it to us. Challenging a pharaoh and overcoming him it is not easy for anyone. Alone it is failure. On the one hand there is too much greatness, on the other infinite smallness. It is as if nothing wanted to defy the whole.

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 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).

Jeremiah also reveals that impossibility and difficulty. He most fragile and smallest being on earth must challenge the power of unbelief and evil of his people.

The word of the Lord came to me thus: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you. “Ah, Lord GOD!” I said, “I know not how to speak; I am too young.” But the Lord answered me, Say not, “I am too young.” To whomever I send you, you shall go; whatever I command you, you shall speak. Have no fear before them, because I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord. Then the Lord extended his hand and touched my mouth, saying, See, I place my words in your mouth! This day I set you over nations and over kingdoms, To root up and to tear down, to destroy and to demolish, to build and to plant.

The word of the Lord came to me with the question: What do you see, Jeremiah? “I see a branch of the watching-tree,” I replied. Then the Lord said to me: Well have you seen, for I am watching to fulfill my word. A second time the word of the Lord came to me with the question: What do you see? “I see a boiling cauldron,” I replied, “that appears from the north.” And from the north, said the Lord to me, evil will boil over upon all who dwell in the land. Lo, I am summoning all the kingdoms of the north, says the Lord; Each king shall come and set up his throne at the gateways of Jerusalem, Opposite her walls all around and opposite all the cities of Judah. I will pronounce my sentence against them for all their wickedness in forsaking me, And in burning incense to strange gods and adoring their own handiwork. But do you gird your loins; stand up and tell them all that I command you. Be not crushed on their account, as though I would leave you crushed before them; For it is I this day who have made you a fortified city, A pillar of iron, a wall of brass, against the whole land: Against Judah’s kings and princes, against its priests and people. They will fight against you, but not prevail over you, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord. (Jer 1,4-19).

Today, Jesus reveals to his disciples what their missionary future will be. It will not be of success but of a success, not of life but of death, not of acclamation but capture and death sentence. They will not be acclaimed by men, but condemned. However, they must not fear it. Jesus is always with them. What will happen to them and for them will only serve the cause of the Gospel. Basically, they have delivered their life to the Gospel.

“Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves. But beware of people, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to another. Amen, I say to you, you will not finish the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints help us to be of the Gospel.