I would imagine that most of us tend to be pretty self-sufficient when we take a road trip. We ensure that everything is packed for the journey, that all the plans are made, that we have all the supplies we need, that the car is full of gas… the list goes on and on! And when we finally hit the road, we don’t necessarily interact with others. Sure, there is the passing greeting given to someone at a rest stop, or an interaction in a restaurant, but by and large, we probably tend to keep to ourselves.
How radical it must have been for the Apostles, then, for Jesus to tell them to go on a journey and take nothing with them. No money, no food, no self-sufficiency. The Apostles were completely reliant on the kindness of strangers. They had to go to who would accept them, and share the Good News with those that would receive it.
No doubt Jesus knew what he was doing when he gave these instructions to the twelve. Had they taken money and food, they could have had much more control over who they interacted with, and where they stayed on the journey. The likely end result would have been that their proclamation of the Good News would have been less effective, because they would not have taken the time to truly get to know the people, and have real fellowship with them.
This Gospel passage reminds us that we often need to step out of our comfort zones to be able to share the good news of the Gospel effectively. When we allow ourselves to share the Gospel from that place of vulnerability, it enables our witness to be more effective. And that is what becoming a missionary disciple is all about- stepping out of our comfort zones, and taking the Gospel into the world, and to those who desperately need to hear God’s words of comfort and peace.
This week, several of the youth of our Parish will be receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation. I ask you to keep them in your prayers as they receive this outpouring of the Holy Spirit, that they may be strengthened to follow Christ more faithfully in all they do.
In Christ,
Fr. Steven Huber, CSB