The Pope Reflection

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Pope Leo’s prayer intention for this month centres on mental health ministry. He invites us to pray that this ministry may be established throughout the Church, in order to help overcome the stigma and discrimination that people with mental illnesses often face.

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In chapter 10 of St Matthew’s gospel Jesus sends his closest disciples out with a mission. Much of this concerns healing. Listen now to Matthew’s report of the sending out:

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Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: ‘As you go, proclaim the good news, “The kingdom of heaven has come near.” Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for labourers deserve their food. Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. As you enter the house, greet it. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.’

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Try, for a moment, to imagine what it must have been like to be sent out with this mission from Jesus. How would you feel if you heard Jesus’s words here addressed to you?

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Imagine now that you’re on your way to wherever you’ve been sent. What do you encounter in the places you go? Perhaps you encounter people facing the challenges of mental health, languishing in struggles.

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The first thing that the disciples are to say is “The kingdom of heaven has come near.” What is the link between this proclamation, what they say here, and what they do – healing illness, physical and mental?

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This time of prayer draws to a close with the Pope’s offering prayer, in which you offer yourself to join Christ in his mission. Are there times and places where you are called to offer healing, standing alongside the sick and the suffering?

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Good Father, I know you are with me. Here I am on this new day. Place my heart once more next to the Heart of your Son Jesus, who is giving himself for me and who comes to me in the Eucharist. May your Holy Spirit make me his friend and apostle, available for his mission of compassion. I place in your hands my joys

and hopes, my works and sufferings, everything that I am and have, in communion with my brothers and sisters of this Worldwide Prayer Network. With Mary, I offer you my day for the mission of the Church and for the prayer intentions of the Pope and my Bishop for this month. Amen.