In the first reading, in the midst of evil and turning away from God, the prophet Hosea calls for conversion and a return to God.
The Twelve whom Jesus named apostles were ordinary people with neither high education nor extraordinary talents and possessions. They were ordinary people with their faults and shortcomings: proud, stubborn and hard-headed. Two would betray Jesus: one three times before simple house-maids and one for thirty pieces of silver.
However, they were basically faithful followers of Jesus. Strengthened by the coming of the Holy Spirit, they preached the Good News of Jesus to the world. Except for the apostle John, all of them gave witness to the Jesus they followed and the Gospel they preached with their lives.
God makes use of the ordinary to accomplish truly extraordinary things. God has decided to make use of and to need people for the spread of his kingdom through the Church.
St. Benedict, founder of the Benedictines, was an outstanding follower of Christ in the sixth century, prescribing prayer, study and work for his monks for the support and spread of the Church and the Kingdom of God. The Benedictines have had great contributions to the Church and the world in monastic life and liturgical worship, in education, art and literature.