Daily Gospel Chat | Jan 1 | THE TWELVE IN EACH OF US The Thirteenth Apostle
January 1 Saturday
THE TWELVE IN EACH OF US The Thirteenth Apostle
Jesus and the twelve disciples sat down to eat. -Matthew 26:20
My heels, clicking against the marble floor, sent echoes down the vast halls of the Vatican museum in Rome. As I followed the guide toward some enormous tapestries, a soft musty scent filled the corridor.
I stopped. Towering before I was a huge tapestry depicting the Lord's Last Supper. A life-size Christ sat at the head of the table gazing out at me. The table stretched before us, drawing me into the scene. Jesus' raised hands seemed to beckon me to join Him and the apostles seated beside Him.
Almost blushing, I wondered what it would be like to accept the invitation and become the thirteenth apostle. I smiled. What a lofty thought! Somehow, I didn't think I was quite ready for that! Today, reflecting back on that incident, I still feel the pull to climb
within the threads of time to two thousand years ago. What would it be like to meet Jesus and His special twelve? I have often wondered if there is a key, some special reason Jesus chose those twelve. Could it be that they somehow represent the very threads that run through every human heart? When I look into my own heart, I see a Thomas filled with doubt. I see a Peter denying the Christ of love. I see a gentle Andrew...
Maybe Jesus chose His twelve because they represent something that lies within each of us. Each first of the month, during our new year 2021, let's reflect upon the lives of the apostles. Perhaps by year's end, we'll become more loving and tolerant of ourselves and others, by recognizing the threads of our own humanity running through the triumphs and failures of the twelve. Maybe, despite our shortcomings, there is a vacancy at the Lord's table that only we can fill.
In a wonderful, loving way Jesus is longing for each one of us to be by His side.
Lord, as we reflect upon the lives of Your twelve apostles, help us to see that You demand not perfection from us, but only a willingness to grow and change. Amen. -Terry Helwig
Happy New Year