Mark 6:8
He instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a walking stick--no food, no sack, no money in their belts.
Whenever you or your family goes on an extended trip, you make a list of things to do to prepare. Some might be arrangement for the pet, have someone get your mail and newspaper, and arrange to have someone generally look over the house. Then you pack for whatever you might need…a rain jacket, sweater, shorts, dress clothes, and the like. You think, "did I pack my medications and other personal things?" These are all things we consider when going on a journey.
In today's reading, Jesus gathers his friends and prepares them for a journey. They had already been traveling some, but this journey was going to be different, not your typical trip to Capernaum or Samaria. This would be a journey of faith--the same kind of journey in faith that you and I walk every day. Jesus directed his followers not to take much, for they are to rely on God's providence to sustain them, not the worldly possessions. Some of his followers might have thought, "What are we to do if we don't have food or money?" Mark doesn't indicate this but it is our human nature. When we are tasked with doing work for the church or even helping those less fortunate than ourselves, we can sometimes get caught up in the details. While we need to be prudent, Jesus is telling his disciples, and us, to put our trust in him. Don't worry about what other people think of you when you are proclaiming the Good News; just press on. Many times this journey can be difficult; note that Jesus did not say it would be easy. Being a Christian these days is not always easy. It can be countercultural and it takes great courage to live this way. But if we put our entire trust and faith in our Lord, He will see us through. This is part of our mission: To courageously live the gospel.
