Nothing for the Journey (Mk6:7-13)

"He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick—no food, no sack, no money in their belts." The Apostles in the Gospel today are required to depend upon God' Providence as they strive to be obedient to His Will. All too often we depend upon ourselves. We count the cost of doing God's Will rather than the benefits. We shy away from His Love in order to comfort ourselves with our own selfish self love. Often this selfish love is caught up with our many possessions and or our entertainment. The Apostles left with nothing but a stick and the cloak on their backs. They trusted in Jesus who sent them on their journey, and they trusted God the Father whom Jesus had revealed. It was with this faith that they went out to bring healing to the people. The authority to cast out demons was given them by Jesus, but they also converted the people by the example of the way they lived . We would do well to be reminded of their example of trusting in Jesus and in our Father to provide for all that we need: spiritually, emotionally, psychologically physically, and materially. Certainly we are called to use our talents to work for the benefit of ourselves and our families, and we have science and medicine to aid in our health care. This is all well and good. The Apostles poverty should remind us that the source of all that is good is our Heavenly Father. It should remind us that as we travel on this journey that Jesus has invited us to begin, we ought not become preoccupied with our possessions and entertainments but instead be living examples to the world of the Loving Providence of our Father. We trust in Him. He takes care of His Children. The more we live in this truth of our faith, the more at peace we will be, and we will see great things happen in our lives.