Take nothing with you….
Why am I always holding on to something? Whether it’s baggage of the past, fear of rejection, fear of losing my job, past and present hurts, unforgiveness, habitual sin, shattered hopes, dreams and the list goes on!
How then can I ever hope to follow after Father Abraham who left everything and everyone behind to go forth according to the Will of God our Heavenly Father? Or the disciples who left their livelihood, family and home to follow Jesus?
No matter how complicated or intricate the reasons for my actions or inactions the answer behind all of it is rather simple. I am not living as a child so loved by God my Heavenly Father. For I have not dwelled on His Word neither have I entered into His presence to rest in His loving embrace often enough. I have allowed the cares of the World to distract me from my ever faithful and loving Lord. For if I were living as a child so loved my God my Heavenly Father and have obedient to His Son my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; then I would be going forth into the world under His authority bringing the joy of the Gospel to others, together with His peace, mercy and love. Even healing in many forms will take place through His grace. This is not some wishful thinking but the truth I will embrace through the promises of Christ my Lord.
Change my heart O Lord, make it ever true. Mould me to be more like You. Amen
First reading
Hebrews 12:18-19,21-24 ·
You have come to Mount Zion and the city of the living God
What you have come to is nothing known to the senses: not a blazing fire, or a gloom turning to total darkness, or a storm; or trumpeting thunder or the great voice speaking which made everyone that heard it beg that no more should be said to them. The whole scene was so terrible that Moses said: I am afraid, and was trembling with fright. But what you have come to is Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem where the millions of angels have gathered for the festival, with the whole Church in which everyone is a ‘first-born son’ and a citizen of heaven. You have come to God himself, the supreme Judge, and been placed with spirits of the saints who have been made perfect; and to Jesus, the mediator who brings a new covenant and a blood for purification which pleads more insistently than Abel’s.
Gospel
Mark 6:7-13
‘Take nothing with you’
Jesus made a tour round the villages, teaching. Then he summoned the Twelve and began to send them out in pairs giving them authority over the unclean spirits. And he instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a staff – no bread, no haversack, no coppers for their purses. They were to wear sandals but, he added, ‘Do not take a spare tunic.’ And he said to them, ‘If you enter a house anywhere, stay there until you leave the district. And if any place does not welcome you and people refuse to listen to you, as you walk away shake off the dust from under your feet as a sign to them.’ So they set off to preach repentance; and they cast out many devils, and anointed many sick people with oil and cured them.
CatholicJules.net 