No Strings Attached

7 Dec

Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus,
“Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 
As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
Cure the sick, raise the dead,
cleanse lepers, drive out demons.
Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”  (Mt 10:5-8)

“What’s it going to cost me?”  “What am I going to have to do because of this?”  “What’s the long-term impact?”

Whatever the question, it is because, when good things come our way, we are often suspicious and look for the strings that might be attached.  We do not want to be beholding to anyone.

God does not attach strings to His gifts.  They are freely given to us.  The greatest gift of all, of course, is His only-begotten Son.

As God gives, so He asks us to do the same.

In today’s Gospel, the apostles were commissioned to go out to the world proclaiming, “The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

In order to prove that it was at hand, Jesus instructed them to accompany their words with great signs: curing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing lepers, driving out demons.  He reminded His apostles that they received their gifts without cost and, therefore, were to give them away without any strings attached as well.

We are an incredibly gifted people.

God has given each and every one of us gifts.

When He did so, He gave them to us not to hoard; but, to share.

What do you have to offer to others?

FAITH ACTION:  Give of your material goods today.  Make a donation to a food pantry or a homeless shelter or drop some money with a bell-ringer.  Or, give of your time today.  Visit someone who is ill or home bound or volunteer at a shelter.  Whatever you do today, Give.