Whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.

The theme placed before us today, “Whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me” invites us into a deep understanding of mission, identity, and relationship with God. In the Gospel, Jesus speaks these words after washing the feet of His disciples. This context is important. He has just shown them that true authority in His Kingdom is expressed through humility and service. Then He tells them: no servant is greater than the master, and no messenger greater than the one who sent him. In other words, their identity is not self-made; it is rooted in being sent. And more than that, whoever welcomes them is not just welcoming them, they are welcoming Christ Himself, and through Christ, the Father. This same dynamic is already unfolding in the first reading from Acts. Paul stands in the synagogue and recounts the whole history of Israel, from the call of the ancestors, through the Exodus, the judges, and the kings, especially David. What is Paul doing? He is presenting himself not as someone with his own message, but as one sent by God, continuing the same story of salvation. His preaching leads to Jesus, the promised Savior. Paul becomes a living bridge between God’s promise and its fulfillment. Here is the connection: Jesus sends His disciples, and Paul is one of those sent. To receive Paul’s message is to receive Christ; to receive Christ is to receive the Father who sent Him. The chain of mission is unbroken. But this is not just about Paul or the early Church. It is about us. Through baptism, each of us is sent. In our families, our parish, our youth ministry, our daily encounters, we are bearers of Christ. People may never read the Bible, but they read our lives. The question is: when people encounter us, do they encounter Christ? The Gospel also gives a warning. Jesus speaks of betrayal, “the one who ate my food has raised his heel against me.” Even among those sent, there can be failure. This reminds us that being sent is not automatic holiness; it requires fidelity, humility, and constant conversion.