June 30th
13th Sunday in Ordinary Time MT 10:37-42

BACKGROUND

Today's reading concludes Matthew's account of Jesus' second discourse, the great missionary discourse in which Jesus instructs his twelve disciples. Both the cost and the reward of the commitment required of a disciple are noted. No one and nothing must be more important than commitment to Jesus. The unity of the family of Jesus is more important than the unity of the natural family. Even the shameful death of the cross is not too high a price to pay if one is to be a true disciple. However there is a positive side to discipleship. Those who receive Jesus receive the one who sent Him. So, too, those who help the "little ones" who are the messengers of Jesus are receiving Jesus. The final words of this selection are addressed to the crowd, a device Matthew uses to put the reader of the gospel into the crowd listening to Jesus.

STORY

St. Brigit of Kildare was the daughter of a noble pagan who sold her mother, his Christian concubine, to a druid when he learned of her pregnancy. It is said that once St. Brigit was of an age to fixed her mind on God, all she asked for was granted. And this was no small thing because what she asked for was to satisfy the poor, house the homeless, bring diverse groups together, expel hardship and spare the miserable. As a young girl her chore was to churn the butter for the druid's household. When the druid and his wife came to claim their butter, they discovered that Brigit was giving the butter to the poor and sick. They also discovered that the butter kept multiplying so there was always enough for them, too. This moved the druid to give Brigit and her mother their freedom. He also convinced her father to acknowledge her. Once back in her father's house, Brigit began giving his things to the poor. She also resolutely refused to marry, a right that the law of her time and place gave her. Fearful that she would give away all he had, her father decided to circumvent the law by selling her back into slavery to the newly converted king of Leinster. While he negotiated with the King, Brigit was outside giving her father's best sword to the first beggar who came along. She incensed both her father and the King when she said she did this because it was her father's best sword which he used for war and the beggar could sell it for food. The King declared he wanted no part of her giving away all his wealth. Imagine his surprise when a great flame appeared behind Brigit as she told him that if she had his wealth, she would give it to the Lord of the Elements, to the people who are the Lord's. The heat of the flame caused the King to break into a sweat that reminded him of the waters of baptism. The King then insisted that her father leave her be, giving Brigit the freedom to commit herself to a life dedicated to God. And this is only the beginning of her story of discipleship.

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