Gospel according to Matthew Chapter 10

(Mt 10, 11-15) As you enter a house, wish it peace[11] Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it,and stay there until you leave. [12] As you enter a house, wish it peace. [13] Ifthe house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; if not, let your peace returnto you. [14] Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words - go outsidethat house or town and shake the dust from your feet. [15] Amen, I say toyou, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the dayof judgment than for that town.(CCC 2305) Earthly peace is the image and fruit of the peace of Christ, themessianic "Prince of Peace" (Isa 9:5). By the blood of his Cross, "in his own personhe killed the hostility" (Eph 2:16 J.B.; cf. Col 1:20-22), he reconciled men with Godand made his Church the sacrament of the unity of the human race and of its unionwith God. "He is our peace" (Eph 2:14). He has declared: "Blessed are thepeacemakers" (Mt 5:9).(Mt 10, 16-20) Like sheep in the midst of wolves[16] "Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so beshrewd as serpents and simple as doves. [17] But beware of people, for theywill hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, [18] andyou will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness beforethem and the pagans. [19] When they hand you over, do not worry about howyou are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that momentwhat you are to say. [20] For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of yourFather speaking through you.(CCC 852) Missionary paths. The Holy Spirit is the protagonist, "the principalagent of the whole of the Church's mission" (John Paul II, RMiss 21). It is he wholeads the Church on her missionary paths. "This mission continues and, in the courseof history, unfolds the mission of Christ, who was sent to evangelize the poor; so theChurch, urged on by the Spirit of Christ, must walk the road Christ himself walked, away of poverty and obedience, of service and self-sacrifice even to death, a deathfrom which he emerged victorious by his resurrection" (AG 5). So it is that "theblood of martyrs is the seed of Christians" (Tertullian, Apol. 50, 13: PL 1, 603).(Mt 10, 21-25) Whoever endures to the end will be saved[21] Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child;children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. [22] You willbe hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will besaved. [23] When they persecute you in one town, flee to another. Amen, Isay to you, you will not finish the towns of Israel before the Son of Mancomes. [24] No disciple is above his teacher, no slave above his master. [25]It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, for the slave thathe become like his master. If they have called the master of the houseBeelzebul, how much more those of his household!(CCC 161) Believing in Jesus Christ and in the One who sent him for oursalvation is necessary for obtaining that salvation (Cf. Mk 16:16; Jn 3:36; 6:40 et al).“Since ‘without faith it is impossible to please (God)’ and to attain to the fellowshipof his sons, therefore without faith no one has ever attained justification, nor will