My Dear People,

Our Gospel Readings continue in the same theme as the Second Reading. Those who choose what is not God over God Himself! In other words, whomever continues in sin—cannot be the disciple of Jesus even when what is chosen is something good in itself (like members of one’s own family).

The disciple of Jesus must be ready to lose his life—only at this point does his life become truly meaningful, which is what Jesus means by “finding” one’s life.

This Gospel reading is taken from the second of five large sermons of Jesus recorded in the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew wishes to present Jesus as the New Moses, so he has “five books” of Jesus around which he structures his Gospel—just as the Bible itself begins with the “five books” of Moses. These sermons of Jesus are (1) The sermon on the Mount (chaps. 7-7), (2) the Mission sermon (Ch. 10); (3) the Mystery sermon (Ch. 13); (4) the Mercy sermon (ch.18), and (5) the Mount of Olive sermon (chs. 24,25). So, most of Matthew 10, from which our reading is taken, consists of Jesus coaching the Apostles on how to preach the Gospel on missionary journeys.

In the second half of our Gospel reading, Jesus emphasizes that those who assist the Apostles in their evangelizing mission will also be rewarded by God. The passage about the giving of a cup of cold water is often misused to emphasize a general concern for the poor. There are many passages of Scripture that emphasize our need to serve the poor, but Matthew 10 is not one of them. This passage is not about works of mercy or charity in general, but it is specifically about giving assistance to those who are doing the work of Jesus—particularly preaching the Gospel.

So, Jesus says: “And whomever gives only a cup of cold water to drink to one of these little ones because the little one is a disciple...will surely not lose his reward.” This refers to those who recognize that a humble person is a Christian, a follower of Jesus who is doing the work of Jesus, and for that reason gives assistance to that person.

People of this world will be judged and rewarded based on how they reacted to and treated those who came to them bearing the message of Jesus.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Vincent Clemente