Gospel: Matthew 10: 7-15
Earlier in the Gospel Jesus tells us that God causes the rain to fall upon the righteous and the wicked, that God provides blessings for all people regardless of how they regard God. In that same context Jesus tells us to love our enemies as much as we love our friends, for God loves both equally the same as well. In today's reading Jesus expands upon this theme.
In going about healing others Jesus does not say that we should only heal those who are worthy of it; we are not to set up a triage unit and determine who will be healed and who will not. It is the same with pronouncing a blessing upon households. We are to offer a blessing to all homes, not just the ones we happen to like. If people reject the blessing that is their business; our business is to bless without qualification or exception.
How often do our healing and blessing resemble our restrictive communion lines? Jesus ate at table with all people - the grateful and ungrateful, the sinners and those who thought themselves righteous. His table reflected his ministry of healing and blessing: they are accessible to all. And so must ours be if we are to pattern our lives and ministry after that of the Lord Jesus.
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