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Today’s Feast of the Sacrifice of the Lord, popularly called “Groundhog Day”, offers us two facts. Above all, it is a memory of Christmas, it is the symbolic end of the Christmas circuit – a kind of echo of Christmas. It is a memory of how the Virgin Mary brought Jesus to the Jerusalem temple. We will remind you of that first. But today’s holiday is also a great task for each of us: We are to be the light of the world. And so we want to realize that we are supposed to be that light, to radiate, warm, and awaken new life. The Virgin Mary had baby Jesus all to herself for forty days. And now she came with Joseph through the east gate to the temple of Jerusalem to fulfill the prescription of the law of Moses. The priest comes and leads the mothers in line to the temple. There he stretches his hands over the children and announces: Every firstborn boy is dedicated to the Lord. He mentions how in Egypt the heathen firstborn boys perished, but the boys of the chosen nation of Israel were saved, and now they are to thank for it. Joseph handed over two baby pigeons and, like everyone else, dropped five shekels of silver into the temple treasury.

The ceremony in the Jerusalem temple is over, and the women are leaving. The Virgin Mary came out last. And in front of her stands an old man. Her hair is white as snow, and she reaches out to her with her shaking hands. The Mother of God knew that at this moment the whole world was reaching out its hands to Christ the Lord. The whole world is waiting for redemption. Maria handed her child to the venerable old man. And the old Simeon first looked to the sky and thanked the Lord for waiting so many years and not in vain. And then he looked at the child and uttered the prophetic words: God, I can die now. I saw the Savior. He will be a light to the whole world and bring glory to his nation. And an eighty-four-year-old old woman, the prophetess Anna, daughter of Phanuel, approached. She also praised the Lord. And it seemed to the Virgin Mary that two people were standing there who had been expelled from Paradise – Adam and Eve. They stand there and give thanks that rescue is coming. They give thanks for the fact that the Virgin and Child are already here and will crush the head of the infernal serpent.

Now the old man Simeon turned to the Virgin Mary. What does he want to say to her? Simeon predicted: This child of yours will be accepted by others and will be for their upliftment. But others will stand against that child – to their destruction. And you will observe and experience all this, and a sword will be dug into your soul. Maria knows that. The others will rejoice, and she – Seven Pain – will cry. Redemption will come to the second, and she – the Seven Painful One – will experience pain. The others will have peace and she – the Seven Pain – will be pierced by a sword. Yes, the Seven-Pained Mother of God will stand under the cross of her Son, she will not be able to give her Son even a sip of water when he cries “I am thirsty”! She will stand under his cross and will not be able to hold back the spear with which they will open Christ the Lord’s Divine Heart. But at that moment both hearts will be pierced. One with a spear and the other, Immaculate Heart of Mary, with a sword of pain.

And so they left the Jerusalem temple and walked around Herod’s palace. He will be the first to take the dagger to pierce Christ the Lord. And Mary will run again at night – just like on Christmas Day. Herod will be the first, but not the only one. His nation will rise against Christ. The world will eventually rise against him. But his cross will shine triumphantly in heaven when he comes in his glory. Yes, today’s holiday is the last memory of Christmas, but also the first harbinger of Easter. The firstborn sons in Egypt were killed on the Passover. And this child is already preparing for his Easter. That is the event of today in the life of the Virgin Mary. Today’s holiday is also a task for each of us. Christ the Lord is the Light of the world and he commands us all – be the light of the world too! And we ask: How can we spread this light of Christ? To that end, we will tell a small story from life.

Friends invited a lonely young man to come to their house on Christmas Day. They had a cottage on the hill, not far from the bus. After the festive dinner, they were supposed to go to midnight mass together. And so the young man set off on his journey. It was afternoon and the sun was shining. He went uphill, first through the forest, then the forest stopped, but the weather changed quickly in the mountains. Suddenly the wind blew a blizzard, heavy snowflakes stuck to his eyes, he waded through the snow up to his knees, sweating with fatigue and fear. He thought, “What if I fall in here, what if no one finds me?”

He started calling for help, but no one heard him. The young man remembered God: “Lord, you are my light and my salvation. Please don’t leave me!” And the blizzard and the white milky mist disappeared as quickly as they had come. He saw the hill and the illuminated windows. He had a wonderful Christmas Day. Yes, people can get lost not only in the mountains. People can also go astray in their lives. May they always find someone to show them the way. May they always find the light of Christ. Let Christ the Lord be our light. May the Virgin Mary be our star, as it is said in one poem: “Mary, Mother, you have been in me – like a starfish to a swimmer at sea.” – Just as that little star shines and delights – both those who pray and those who sin.” Let us be the light of the world and let us all meet one day when the eternal light will shine. 

He began to send them.
After Jesus failed to preach in the synagogue, where he was greeted only by skepticism, and even Jesus himself wondered at their unbelief, Jesus joined the twelve to his activity. The twelve disciples represent the new Israel, which consisted of exactly twelve tribes.

“Jesus began to send them”, writes Mark, “two by two”, because they are a community, they do not present themselves as leaders or bearers of the message, but they are supposed to be a community that experiences this message. And “he gave them power over unclean spirits”. Spirit means energy and power; when this power comes from God, then it is Holy, not only as its quality but as an activity that separates man from the sphere of evil and sin and draws him to the realm of good. But when these energies come from somewhere other than God, or even contradict him, then they are impure because they hold back and maintain a person in the sphere of impurity, that is, the impossibility of communication with God – according to the culture of the time.  

“And he commanded” – this is the only time he commands something in this Gospel, so it must be something important that we should take seriously. What does Jesus command? Jesus commands “not to take anything for the journey except a stick: neither bread, nor a pocket, nor money in your belt”. And why? Because the life of the disciples is to prove the authenticity of the message. It is impossible to announce the good news of Jesus, which is the news that a person fully trusts God and fully trusts others, the message of renouncing ambitions if he then contradicts it with his behavior, his clothes, and his style of life. So the life of the messenger of the message is to prove the truth.  

And so Jesus, who is usually very sparing in the description, here describes in great detail even how the disciples are to be dressed; he says to “put on sandals” – because they will have to walk a lot – and not to “put on two dresses”, having two dresses is a luxury for the rich. Therefore, the disciples should not contradict the message of this universal love of God who puts himself at the service of others. Jesus then invites these disciples to be free from economic worries, and to entrust themselves fully; he says that they should also be free internally, and adds “Whenever you enter a house anywhere, stay there until you go on from there”. Why such a provision? Because Jews, when they were on the road, often sought hospitality only from other Jews, they did not go to the houses of Gentiles. Why? Because the Gentile’s house was unclean. Just as they did not go into the houses of the Jews, whom they did not know whether they fully observed the rules of cleanliness and impurity about food. 

But Jesus asks that they be free; into the house you enter, whether they observe the rules or not no, stay there. It is necessary to be free to set free. “But,” warns Jesus, “if in any place you are not received or heard, leave there and shake the dust off your feet.” This was a symbolic gesture performed by the Jews after returning from a pagan land; before they entered Israel, they shook the dust from their sandals so that they did not bring even a crumb of heathen, impure earth into the holy land. So the evangelist indicates that those who do not accept these messengers of the message must be treated as heathens. So a heathen is not one who does not believe, or believes in another religion, but who does not accept, who does not offer help. Who does not reflect in his behavior the universal love of God, is a heathen. So Jesus sends his disciples to announce this message of good news, and those who do not accept him must be treated as heathens; therefore, “being a heathen” does not depend on God, in which you believe, but on an attitude of acceptance and hospitality.  

“They went” – and here comes the question: did they do what Jesus told them to do or not? Because Jesus did not send the disciples to preach repentance or eventual conversion for the kingdom of heaven, he did not send them to cast out evil spirits, he gave them power over evil spirits and that is something entirely different, nor to anoint the sick with oil, etc. The disciples did not do what Jesus told them to do. In the continuation of this Gospel, we will see that Jesus calls them aside and forbids them to proclaim a message that he did not authorize them to do.

“Come and follow me!”
We have all heard this word at some time or another. But following Jesus is not fun with Jesus, not some comfortable walk, accompanied by with uplifting conversations. Following Jesus is a commitment to
Jesus, a commitment throughout the life of Jesus, from birth to glorification. It means entrusting oneself to this particular Jesus who was expected by the prophets, who was rejected by his people, who on his way to the cross remained misunderstood, but then was glorified by the Father.
Following Jesus is a readiness to embark on the journey. It is the antithesis of sitting comfortably by the stove. One who is not ready to give up everything, his material possessions, his habits, his customs, his achievements, but also his prayer life, for which he has hitherto been he has been accustomed to and has practiced, is not following Jesus. Following is always a movement toward new shores, it is an existential abandonment and a new acquisition, and without taking that newly acquired we want to reappropriate.
This reflects the dynamic of today: “Follow me!” It rings out here the call to communion. To follow Jesus, who has no home of his own and
does not know where to lay his head, individuals do not go. Jesus is followed by the community, the Church, and his bride. The Second Vatican Council, in the Constitution on the Church, clearly speaks of the domestic Church, of religious communities, it speaks of basic cells. Without these small cells, small churches, and, communities, no religious life is possible. And these smallest cells of the body of Christ are to be used for the building up of the local Church. And the local church is to serve the world church.
But where the little cells separate and want to grow and enjoy their own beautiful life, there arises a cancerous tumor, that is, not healthy cells on the construction of the body. These swollen cells then damage the body. Therefore, when following Jesus, it is very important that both the individuals and the basic cells always come out of that in which they have taken root, out of everything they have done, thought, and lived up to this point. It is important, that everyone is always ready to be addressed, to be called, and also to go.
The example of the apostles Jesus’ word to the apostles, “Come and follow me.” is not only such an invitation that one may or may not accept. This call to follow is the word of the living God that strikes the heart when one lets it strike one’s heart. And this word also empowers us to follow. With God, here is in unity word and power, call and enablement. Jesus’ command: “Come and follow me!” therefore empowers us to follow Jesus.
This call affects the apostles individually in a completely personal way. God does not call the multitude as a whole, l where he speaks: “Come and follow me!”, he addresses each one individually in a completely personal way. This completely personal call is evident in the Gospel of Matthew (Mt 4:18-22). sees Andrew and Peter sitting in the boat and says to them: “Come and follow me!” They get up and follow him. Notice: they don’t know him yet. Jesus comes up to them and addresses them – and they follow him. Then Jesus sees others. John and James, and he calls them too. It is also written of them, “They immediately left the ship and their father and followed him” – immediately!
Jesus’ calling and power, the calling and power of God, fall into one.  John’s Gospel is even more clear (Jn. 1:35-51). John the Baptist sends John and Andrew after Jesus, “Behold the Lamb of God!” And they follow him. But they are not yet struck. John the Baptist has shown them Jesus. But not until when Jesus turns and asks, “What are you looking for?” and they are embarrassed to ask, “Where do you live?”, only then does the decisive word come: “Come and see!” This word hits them personally. John later writes they stayed with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon,” Until the end of his life, he remembers that moment of being personally touched by Jesus’ word. l Andrew is excited and goes to his brother Peter, “We found Messiah!” Peter goes with him but is not yet impacted. Jesus  said: “You are Simon, son of John, but you shall be called Cephas!” So Jesus addresses him quite personally by his name and gives him a new name. Peter is struck and follows him.
And Philip says to Nathanael: “We have found him of whom Moses wrote in law and the Prophets, Jesus, the son of Joseph of Nazareth.” Nathanael was critical: “From Nazareth? Can there be anything good from Nazareth!” Yet he went to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said: “This is the true Israelite in whom there is no guile.” Nathanael asks in amazement, “Where did you know me?” Again, something quite personal. “I saw you before Philip called you when you were under the fig tree.” Jesus had seen what Nathanael had experienced under fig the tree, but he says nothing further about it. Nathanael, however, is stricken: “You are the Son of God!” This is how the Lord addresses everyone in a completely personal way. I think each of you has experienced a similar intervention by the Lord. For then you would not be here. Everyone feels that he is being thought of and not someone or the community as a whole. The goal of this vocation is to go to Jerusalem to meet death and resurrection. The goal is the fulfillment of this word: “Be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” The goal is holiness.

The apostles follow Jesus, they enter the school of Jesus. But they are not yet they are not fully committed to him. They have their plans, even with Jesus, they have their plans. They have left the house and the boat, but they have not sold it. They left these things and they wanted to appropriate Jesus. They had their plans: expelling the Romans, and setting up a new kingdom. Then they wouldn’t need their ship anymore. Nor their net and their house. Then they might be ministers. And the mother of Zebedee of the sons even begs, “When you become the lord of Israel, please say, that these two sons of mine may sit in thy kingdom one by one and the other on your left” (Mt 20:20-21). And the others are frowning and are full of jealousy. For they too wanted to sit next to Jesus. Do you notice how many are selfish here? God touched them personally. And now these things occur to them. Something they’ll abandon because they’re hoping to get something better. They want to draw Christ into their plans. This becomes very clear in Matthew’s Gospel (Mt. 16:21-23), where Peter – after the prediction of suffering – tells the Lord directly face to face: “May God be gracious to you, Lord! This must not happen to you!” But Jesus turns and says to Peter: “Get out of my way, Satan! You are an offense to me. You have no sense of the things of God, only of the things of men!” (cf. Mt 16:22-23). Even in the name of God Peter will say: “This shall not happen to you.” How often even we use God’s name to make our selfish goal intentions to clothe ourselves in godliness, to cover ourselves?
And after the promise of the Eucharist, many of his disciples left him and no longer with him no longer walked with him. Here, perhaps, Judas’ betrayal began. On Maundy Thursday it no longer became quite obvious. And Jesus asks, ‘Do you also want to leave?” (Jn 6:67) Perhaps they were left standing there hesitantly, undecided because they were no longer of any use at all they didn’t understand anything. This uncertainty was there, even though every one of them was the Lord personally addressed. Or that dispute over the primacy. They were arguing for first place, even though they were the Lord’s personally affected by them. And they run away from the Mount of Olives. No more Peter is shouting: “Here I am, I’m going with you to my death!” Yes, this Peter even swears, “I never saw him at all!” And all this happens after the frequent and profound intervention, after the address, “Follow me!” All this after three years of wandering with Jesus, after all the miracles, after all that they have heard. We can see egoism everywhere. Their self stands in the foreground and pushes God into the background.
That’s why Jesus, after a dispute over the primacy, demands of his apostles: “If be converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” Mt. 18:1-5)” He says this to those who have been affected, who have followed him, who have left their homes, their families… By this Jesus is saying: “If are not embraced and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” He must further say to them (Mt 16:24n), “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever desires life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Here Jesus expresses very clearly what he means by the word: “Turn and be like children!” And to Peter, he says: “…and thou, when once thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren!” (Luke 22,32) Thus: When thou art (again) converted (and after months and years of journeying together), then you will be able to strengthen your brothers and witness.
The apostles were certainly affected by Jesus’ call. But this reaching out was not deep enough. Their response was preliminary, not definitive. Only at Pentecost, everything was definite. Then the apostles with their whole existence immersed themselves in the existence of Jesus, and their whole life was set in motion (after the Way of Life), right up to their death.