Today we see Jesus travelling all over teaching in synagogues, proclaiming the Kingdom of God and healing all kinds of illnesses. But he could really only scratch the surface while at the same time feeling deep compassion for the problems of so many people, who were like sheep without a shepherd. It was clear that he needed people to help him in his work. And so we see him calling twelve of his followers giving them the power to drive out evil spirits and to heal. They are told to proclaim the closeness of the Kingdom. The sign of this will be the healing of the sick, the raising of the dead, cleansing of lepers, casting out of evil spirits. And they are to do all of this at no charge in a spirit of pure service. This is exactly the same work that Jesus himself was doing. There is still a need for this work to be done, not just by priests, brothers and sisters. Every baptised person has exactly the same calling. Lay people can reach places and people not readily accessible to clergy or religious. And there are still so many out there like sheep without a shepherd. I may be the only person who can reach some of them.