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Manila Bulletin devider Opinion devider Take nothing for the journey

Take nothing for the journey

Published Sep 26, 2023 04:09 pm

REFLECTIONS TODAY

Gird your loins

Jesus calls the Twelve (apostles) and gives them power to exorcise demons and to heal the sick. As he sends them, Jesus asks them to travel light. They should not bring anything extra or superfluous. They are not there to impress people with non-essential things. 


Jesus expects the same from us, missionaries of today. We should not think that success in mission work depends on our gadgets, on our skills in using them, on the way we dress, or with our production, but on the simplicity of our message and appearance.
 

First Reading • Ezra 9:5-9

At the time of the evening sacrifice, I, Ezra, rose in my wretchedness, and with cloak and mantle torn I fell on my knees, stretching out my hands to the Lord, my God. 
I said: “My God, I am too ashamed and confounded to raise my face to you, O my God, for our wicked deeds are heaped up above our heads and our guilt reaches up to heaven.
From the time of our fathers even to this day great has been our guilt, and for our wicked deeds we have been delivered up, we and our kings and our priests, to the will of the kings of foreign lands, to the sword, to captivity, to pillage, and to disgrace, as is the case today. 


“And now, but a short time ago, mercy came to us from the Lord, our God, who left us a remnant and gave us a stake in his holy place; thus our God has brightened our eyes and given us relief in our servitude. For slaves we are, but in our servitude our God has not abandoned us; rather, he has turned the good will of the kings of Persia toward us. Thus he has given us new life to raise again the house of our God and restore its ruins, and has granted us a fence in Judah and Jerusalem.”
 

Gospel • Luke 9:1-6

Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic. 


Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there. And as for those who do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them.” Then they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the good news and curing diseases everywhere.

Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2023.” E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.

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