Welcome to this week’s Living Word.

The Word of the Week this week is Commission.

Christ calls us to be part of his mission in the world. All people are called to be disciples of Jesus Christ and to share in his work. We are called to make a positive difference in the world and to bring Christ to others through our words and actions.

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Section 1: Trusted with a job

We invite you to start with the Sign of the Cross.

Response: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

R./ Glory to you O Lord +

At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R./ Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

Think about the last time someone truly trusted you with something important. Maybe it was looking after a younger sibling, being handed the keys to a building, or being made captain of a team. It feels good to be trusted, doesn’t it?

In the adult world, when you are given a official, highly important job to do on someone else’s behalf, it’s called being commissioned. You aren’t just acting on your own; you are carrying the authority and trust of the person who sent you.

The ‘Great Commission’ in the Bible refers to when Jesus told his disciples to “go and make disciples of all nations”. What a huge task! What he was asking them to do was to share his good news and use words and actions to help people encounter God’s love.

Currently, across our diocese – the Diocese of Nottingham – Bishop Patrick has challenged all of us (schools, parishes, and young people) to take part in a big mission plan called “Go, Make Disciples.”

Now, if you aren’t a Catholic, or if you aren’t sure what you believe about God yet, words like ‘disciple’ might sound like they only belong in an RE lesson. But look at what Jesus says in the Gospel read in churches this week. He doesn’t say, “Hey, perfect people, come here so I can give you a massive, exhausting checklist.” Instead, he says, “Come to me if you are weary, and I will give you rest.”

God’s commission isn’t a heavy burden or a boring rulebook. Being commissioned by God means being looked at and told: “I see your potential. I trust you to bring good things, peace, and hope into a world that is often stressed out and tired.” You have a purpose, and you are trusted. And this applies to every single one of us.

Section 2: The Tools for the Job

We invite you to start with the Sign of the Cross.

Response: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

If a company were to commission an artist to paint a massive mural in Lincoln city centre, they wouldn’t just say “good luck” and walk away. They would provide the wall, the paint, and the scaffolding. When you are commissioned, you are always given the tools to do the job.

Sometimes we look at people who do amazing things – charity workers, activists, or even just the kind people around us – and think, “I could never do that. I’m too quiet, I always mess things up or I don’t know enough.”

But in the Gospel this week, Jesus says something important. He thanks God that the most important truths aren’t given to the ‘wise and learned’ (the people who think they know everything), but to ‘little children‘, meaning people who are humble, open-minded, and honest.

You don’t need a theology degree or a flawless track record to be commissioned to do good. The equipment God gives you for this commission isn’t money or social status. It’s your willingness to listen to a friend who is lonely, your ability to stand up against unkindness in the corridor, and your unique personality. In the Catholic Church, we call this the work of the Holy Spirit. No matter your faith background, you are fully equipped right now to make the world around you a better place.

Recently Bishop Patrick put these question to an audience of young people aged 15-25: “What do you want your church to be?” and “How can we live out the commission to ‘go and make disciples’?”

As you watch this montage of the newly formed Diocesan Youth Forum, see if you have anything to contribute towards those two questions. Add some ideas into your form scrapbook.

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Section 3: Sent on a Mission

We invite you to start with the Sign of the Cross.

Response: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen

Imagine a massive rescue mission where the team just stays in the headquarters eating biscuits and talking about the plan, but never actually goes outside. It would be completely pointless! A commission requires action. It requires stepping out of the door and often out of your comfort zone.

We’ve spent this week looking at the word commission. We know it means being trusted with a purpose, and we know we already have the gifts to do it. Today, it’s time to activate it right here where we live and learn, at SSPP school and in the wider city of Lincoln.

A famous saint named John Henry Newman once wrote that God has created every single one of us for a “definite service.” He wrote: “I have my mission.” Notice he didn’t say “The priests have a mission” or “The teachers have a mission.” He said “I have my mission”. You have your mission too.

When our school community leaves the gates at the end of the day, we are being sent out into our homes and local communities. Our commission is to take the values we talk about in here, like respect, kindness and forgiveness, and model and share them out there. Whether it’s helping out a local charity, being polite to people on the bus, or looking out for the person in your class who feels left out, you are the boots on the ground.