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Gospel: Luke 9: 1-6
Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority
over all demons and to cure diseases,
and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God
and to heal the sick.
He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey,
neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money,
and let no one take a second tunic.
Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there.
And as for those who do not welcome you,
when you leave that town,
shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them.”
Then they set out and went from village to village
proclaiming the Good News and curing diseases everywhere.
The Gospel of the Lord.
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There’s an old saying, “There are two sides to every story.”
Such is the case in today’s Gospel. On one hand, Jesus sends his disciples out to preach and to cure with the added instruction, “Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic.”
On the surface, it seems like the Lord is stripping his disciples bare, as if they must fend for themselves in a cold, harsh world of the Lord’s own making. But that isn’t the case.
Rather, the Lord is building upon a Jewish tradition, which all of the Apostles would’ve understood.
In ancient Israel, it was customary for a person to part with their walking staff, shoes, money belt, and to cleanse the dust from their feet before entering the Temple to pray.
Both physically and spiritually, a person would part with all of their worldly cares and possessions before addressing God, who always comes first. After leaving the Temple, a person would gather their belongings before re-entering the world.
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By instructing his disciples to part with all of their belongings before preaching and healing, Jesus is telling them to treat the entire world – including every person they meet – as if it is within Temple.
Meaning everything and everyone is holy, a type of dwelling place for God.
As Christians, we’re called to maintain that same type of attitude, treating all as if we are another Christ.
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The other side of the story is this: if the disciples are going out without a thing to their name, then they’ll need the good will and support of their brothers and sisters along the way.
While the Gospel should be preached free of charge, it is also an honor to care for those who share it, which is why the Church emphasizes the need for charity.
This is particularly true of supporting religious orders like Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity, who keep nothing but the Word of God, otherwise depending entirely on the support of others.
Perhaps this is what the Lord is asking of us today: to see the world as holy; to care for the poor; and to support those who preach the Gospel – not only in word but with their very lives.
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Image credits: (1) Encouraging.com (2) The Well Community Church (3) Good and Godly DNA with LA, WordPress