"Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two..." Mark 6.7

By Fr. John Bostwick, O. Praem.

You have probably seen them: clean-cut young men, dressed in dark trousers, white dress shirts and always in pairs.  A while back a pair of these Mormon missionaries stopped by to attend the midday Mass at the College.  I admire their dedication, their commitment to their faith.

And I notice that they are always in pairs, sent out “two by two’.  Why?  Well, it is what Jesus did with his disciples, but why in pairs?  Following Jesus, indeed, engaging in his mission, is an arduous task. One needs the support of a companion, someone with whom to share the joys and challenges of life “on the Way” that is Christ.  One needs a friend who will encourage, challenge and, if need be, confront and correct, but mostly to share life. 

I can’t imagine following Christ alone.  In fact, the ancient Christian teacher and writer Tertullian once said “Solus Christianus, nullus Christianus” - A Christian alone is no Christian.  Pretty strong language, but fundamentally true.  We need one another not just because friendship and companionship is nice, but because it is necessary for a full human and Christian life.  If the core commandment is to love one another, then we need others to love - and we need others to give us the strength and the courage to love, to be faithful, to stay the course.

At Luna Café (my off-campus “office”) it is not uncommon to see pairs of guys (interestingly, it has been more often men) sitting together with coffee and open Bibles.  Prayer partners? Spiritual friends?  More than just buddies, for sure, and they are peers.  Companions on the journey of faith.   Jesus sent them out two by two.

Way back in the book of Genesis, in a very different context, of course, God looks at ha-Adam, the human being and pronounces:  “It is not good for the man to be alone…” And we find the origin of marriage and family life and love.   I would suggest that this too is part of that impulse to send them out two by two.  People need companions to engage in the Christian and human life of love and mission - whether at home, in family, in the community of the Church and on mission.   Jesus was tapping into basic human nature in sending them out two by two.