Jesus said to his Apostles:
“As you go, make this proclamation:
‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
Cure the sick, raise the dead,
cleanse the lepers, drive out demons.
Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.
Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts;
no sack for the journey, or a second tunic,
or sandals, or walking stick.” (Mt 10:7-10a)
This is one of the passages that has influenced many a saint through the years, including St. Francis of Assisi. In it, Jesus is making a pretty radical statement. They are to trust in God, not themselves.
When I see this Gospel passage, I often think of my mom. She was a packer. Whenever we were going on a vacation, she began the packing preparations a good three days in advance.
There were clothes to wash and pack, provisions to purchase and pack. There were maps to gather (yes, I am definitely a pre-GPS baby!) and all sorts of odds and ends that needed to be assembled.
By the time we were leaving the driveway for our vacation, she was already exhausted because of all the preparations!
God does not want us exhausted. God does not want us to worry about what we have or what we will have.
God simply wants us to go out and trust that He will provide.
FAITH ACTION: How much of your day do you feel you have to plan, to be prepared for, to control? Can you take some time to pray today and tell the Lord, “I do not know where you want me to go. I do not know what you want me to do. I do not know what will happen. However, I will go where you send me, confident that you will provide for my needs.”