First reading Proverbs 30:5-9
Give me neither riches nor poverty, only my share
Every word of God is unalloyed,
he is the shield of those who take refuge in him.
To his words make no addition,
lest he reprove you and know you for a fraud.
Two things I beg of you,
do not grudge me them before I die:
keep falsehood and lies far from me,
give me neither poverty nor riches,
grant me only my share of bread to eat,
for fear that surrounded by plenty, I should fall away
and say, ‘the Lord – who is the Lord?’
or else, in destitution, take to stealing
and profane the name of my God.
Responsorial Psalm 118(119):28,72,89,101,104,163
Your word is a lamp for my steps, O Lord.
My soul pines away with grief;
by your word raise me up.
The law from your mouth means more to me
than silver and gold.
Your word, O Lord, for ever
stands firm in the heavens:
I turn my feet from evil paths
to obey your word.
I gain understanding from your precepts
and so I hate false ways.
Lies I hate and detest
but your law is my love.
Gospel Luke 9:1-6
‘Take nothing for the journey’
Jesus called the Twelve together and gave them power and authority over all devils and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. He said to them, ‘Take nothing for the journey: neither staff, nor haversack, nor bread, nor money; and let none of you take a spare tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there; and when you leave, let it be from there. As for those who do not welcome you, when you leave their town shake the dust from your feet as a sign to them.’ So they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the Good News and healing everywhere.
Trust
Jesus’ whole life revealed His complete trust and surrender to God His Father. In His journeys, in preaching, in healing the sick, and even in facing rejection and the Cross, Jesus remained confident in His Father’s love and care. In today’s Gospel, Jesus sent the Twelve out to proclaim the Kingdom of God. In His instructions to them, He told them what they had to leave behind. He said, “Take nothing for the journey: neither staff, nor haversack, nor bread, nor money; and let none of you takes a spare tunic.” Jesus told His disciples to travel lightly, not because these things were bad, but because He wanted them to discover where their true securities lay. They were to depend on God’s providence and on the hospitality of those to whom they were sent.
We may not be called to leave home without money or food, but we are asked to let go of what we cling to as our security: the need to control situations, the fear of having little, or the need for others’ approval. Today, let us follow Jesus with love, trusting that He who calls us also accompanies and sustains us.
Reflective question:
What must I leave behind in order to trust God more today?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD
