"Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals" Lk. 10:4

In Jesus’ day, travelers carried a stick as a defense against wild animals, and used sandals as an aid in traveling along dusty roads and rocky byways.  Likewise, a change of clothing as well as food and drink were thought necessary but Jesus forbade all these. His command was that the disciples should give up even these necessities so as to be both a living act of Faith in God. The disciples were only armed with their Faith and the name of Jesus. They needed nothing more. Their detachment from material goods would enable them to uphold the absolute priority of preaching the Good News. They did not need a staff or provisions because God would take care of them through the people to whom they were to preach. 

Today, almost all of us are attached to technology. Our minds are being corrupted and our faith gets weaker. Some of us even don’t go to mass because they are too lazy or they want just to stay on their bed all day facing their phones or laptops. Even at mass, people use their phones. I, myself, even do that. If these things would disappear, most likely we would worry or even cry.  But we should be more worried about losing our faith in God. We only remember God when we are in trouble, in need of help and things that we ask. What we really need in our lives is faith and nothing more. The Gospel is reminding us to detach ourselves from material goods or things that we usually stick around so that we could enable ourselves to hear and preach the Good News.

-Reign Jaleco