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Gospel: Matthew 10: 7-15
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.
The laborer deserves his keep.
Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it,
and stay there until you leave.
As you enter a house, wish it peace.
If the house is worthy,
let your peace come upon it;
if not, let your peace return to you.
Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words–
go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet.
Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable
for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment
than for that town.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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We’re all familiar with the old saying, “There are two sides to every story.”
Such is the case in today’s Gospel. Jesus sends his disciples out to preach and to cure with the added instruction, “Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts; no sack for the journey, or a second tunic, or sandals, or a walking stick.”
It seems like the Lord is stripping them bare, as if they must fend for themselves in a hostile world like lambs among wolves. But the Lord is building upon a Jewish tradition, which the Apostles would’ve understood.
In the ancient world, it is customary for people to part with their belongings such as a walking staff, shoes, and girdle of money, and to cleanse the dust from their feet before entering the Temple to pray.
They were to address God “unburdened.” Afterwards, people would gather their belongings and re-enter the world.
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By instructing his disciples to part with their things before going out into the world to preach and heal, Jesus is teaching them to treat the entire world – including every person they meet – as if it is within Temple.
Everyone is a potential dwelling place for God. As the Psalmist proclaims, “The earth is the LORD’S and its fullness, the world and all who dwell within it.”
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But the other side of the story is this: if the disciples are going out into the world without a penny to their name, then they’ll need the support of 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 preach 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, and depend entirely our support.
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) Sunday Social (2) God in All Things (3) Shepherd Thoughts