Jesus summoned those He wanted

Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted 

and they came to him.

He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles,

that they might be with him

and he might send them forth to preach 

and to have authority to drive out demons. (Mark 3:13-15)

___________________________________________________________

 [NOTE: This reflection is inspired by comments from Fr. Santiago Martín.]

 
By saying that Jesus “summoned those whom He wanted”, Mark made clear that it was Our Lord Himself who was in control of the selection process. He didn’t tell the multitude: “Pick 12 men for me to work with”. It was Jesus who chose! The initiative was HIS. 

 
This is a reminder of the top-down — i.e. hierarchical — nature of the Church. God gives, we receive; He leads, we follow; He commands, we obey. 

 
No “synodality” here.

 
It is also significant that Jesus picked only men to be Apostles. Some say the only reason He didn’t pick women was because of the cultural limitations of His time. But the fact is that, time and again, Jesus did not hesitate to go against the customs of the day, such as opposing the teaching on divorce, doing healings on the sabbath, sparing the woman caught in adultery, touching lepers, eating with sinners, etc.

 
In His mind, being an apostle was not a RIGHT that was being denied the women who were present, many of whom were surely holier and more capable than the men chosen. Apostleship was a GIFT that was showered on these particular men. 

 
Why only them? We can speculate, of course, but as people of faith, ours is not to question why the Lord does things the way He does.

 
“Blessed is He who takes no offense at me.” (Luke 7:23)

 
Finally, Jesus selected these men to evangelize, NOT do social work. Attending to the physical needs of the people was important, certainly, but that was secondary to the task of being close to the Lord, preaching, and driving out demons. That is why the apostles eventually instituted the diaconate, to relieve them from the task of serving at tables so they could focus on their principal mission.

 
If this was the vision Jesus had for the Church from the very beginning, why do we feel we need a different formula today?

 
As the Lord says in the Gospel of John:

 
"It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you

to go and bear fruit that will remain.” (John 15:16)

 
May those whom the Lord summoned to lead His Church put all distractions aside and re-dedicate themselves to their sacred mission: “go and bear fruit that will remain.”

https://amzn.to/3UXfDO3

https://www.youtube.com/@Simplycatholic