Proclaim that God is Near

11^th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A); June 14, 2026

Ex 19:2-6a.  Ps 100.  Rom 5:6-11.  Mt 9:36-10:8

Deacon Jim McFadden

         What strikes me in today’s Gospel is that Jesus calls the Apostles by name and then he sends them out. He’s giving them a personal invitation, which obtains for us as well.    And they’re  sent with a purpose; he asks them to proclaim just one thing: “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand” (Mt 10:7), which is  the EXACT same proclamation when Jesus began his preaching: the Kingdom of God, that is,  the Lordship of God, who is Love, has come near; he is right in our very midst.  And, this is not just one item in a litany of proclamations, like a PowerPoint presentation with bullet-points.  No, this is the fundamental reality of life: the closeness of God, perfectly manifested in the closeness of Jesus, who is the Word made Flesh.  What Jesus proclaims, he wants his apostles and disciples to do the same.  It’s that simple.

         In a world that is torn by dissension,  polarization, alienation, and the fear of others, this proclamation is a reality check, because it emphatically states that we are not alone on earth, and even when our life really gets tough, when the wheels seem be falling off, we do not lose faith in the God who is near.  God is not far away.  Indeed, he can’t be because he is our Father.  God is not like the Deist notion who created the world, then walked away leaving it up to us to figure things out.  No, God is a Father who knows his children, who loves you and wants to take you by the hand even when you travel problematic and precarious paths.  He wants to hold you by your hand even when you stumble and fall and struggle to get up and get back on track.  Even when you feel the weakest, that you’re barely hanging on, you can sense his presence all the more strongly.  Our Father knows the whole picture, the great Story.  He knows the Way which is why he sent his Son Jesus to show us the Way home because he is the Way!  God is our Father; let us let Him  be our Father.

         This is an important image because  to proclaim that God is close is an invitation to think of oneself as a child, who walks hand in hand with his heavenly Father.  When we do, everything becomes different.  The large and mysterious world with all of its complexity becomes a familiar and secure because a child knows  that he is protected, that he is cared for, loved unconditionally.  So he’s not afraid, and learns to be open with other people, forges new friendships, is curious and learns new things as God reveals himself in his life.  And what does a child do with all of this Good News?  He returns home and tells everybody what he has seen and heard!   Moreover, he wants to grow up and become just like his Father, doing what his Father does.  This is why I think Jesus starts from here.  This is why the closeness of God is the first proclamation: by staying close to God, we conquer fear; we open ourselves to God’s love; we grow in goodness as we follow Jesus’ Way; and we feel the need and the joy to proclaim the Good News.  We can’t keep it to ourselves.

         Brothers and sisters, by virtue of our Baptism, which initiates us into the very mystical Body of Christ, we are called to be apostles and disciples. But to be a good apostle we must become like children. And what does a child do?  He sits on his Father’s lap and sees the world as he does, which is the perspective of love that is unitive and generative. That comes first before the child can bear witness that God is Father, that he alone can transform our hearts, and his presence among and within us gives us joy and peace that we ourselves cannot attain on our own. 

         To proclaim that God is near, how do we do that?  In the Gospel  it seems that  we  put action above words. He advises the apostles  to perform many deeds of love and put your hope in the name of the Lord.  Put love into action: “Heal the sick…raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons.  You receive without pay, give without pay” (Mt 10:8). This may be the heart of evangelization: freely give witness, serve others.  Give your life away as you live the Great Commandment.

         At this point, we can ask ourselves: do I really want to live this way?   Do I really believe in a God who is close to me, that I can confide in him, that he cares for me?  Can we move forward trustfully, like a child who knows he is being held in his Father’s arms?  Do we know how to sit in the Father’s lap with prayer, silently listening to the Word, who is his very Son?  Do we know how to instill courage in others, to make ourselves close to others who are suffering and are alone.  Do we know how to engage our enemies, those who are hostile to us?  This really gets down to the substance of our faith.  This is what counts as we proclaim just one thing: The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

         Let us pray to our Blessed Mother Mary that she may help us feel that we are loved and transmit closeness and trust to her Son.  Amen.