“And he sent them forth to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.”

The word “apostle” literally means one sent forth on a mission. The evangelists used the term to refer specifically to the first twelve missionaries chosen by Jesus.

The twelve were ordinary men of modest means entrusted with an extraordinary mission that would have taxed the abilities of the high and mighty. To complicate matters, Jesus had them leave everything behind as they set out on their first mission.

From the very beginning, Jesus wanted the apostles to put themselves in the place of the very people they were sent to serve. He wanted them to feel what it’s like to be vulnerable and dependent on the kindness of strangers. He wanted them to allow the needy to minister to them and in so doing acknowledge that we’re all equal in God’s eyes. Jesus didn’t send His apostles out to lord it over others. He sent them out as servant leaders.

Saint Paul also referred to himself as an apostle (“born out of time”) and used the term in referring to some of his companions, such as Barnabas and Silas. In his letters to the Corinthians and Philippians, Paul further expanded the meaning of the term by applying it to a broad group of disciples and teachers. It is in this last sense of the word that we are all commissioned as apostles - - sent on a mission - - to bring the good news of hope and salvation to the world.

We, too, have been hand-picked by Jesus. He has already decided that we have all that we need to accomplish our mission: a humble, trusting spirit and compassion for others. Those are the hallmarks of a servant leader.