Take nothing for the journey
In today's gospel Jesus instructed his disciples to “Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic." They were to rely not on their own resources but on the providence of God and the kindness of the people. It must be a frightful experience of feeling totally vulnerable, when you cannot change into clean clothes, when it rains, or when you go through muddy paths, or when you perspire; when you do not know where you will find your next meal or where to sleep after a tiresome day.
Yet this sense of vulnerability, of having to depend entirely on God allowed his power to work through them. The power and authority Jesus had given the Twelve over all demons, to cure diseases, to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick became operative. Repeatedly in the scriptures we see that God allows his power to operate through human weakness. As St. Paul says: "we are earthenware jars that hold this treasure, to make it clear that such an overwhelming power comes from God and not from us." (2 Corinthians: 4:7). In the book of Judges 7:2 The Lord said to Gideon, "The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, for Israel would become boastful, saying, 'My own power has delivered me.'" and he commanded him to cut down the fighters to a ridiculously small number in comparison to their adversaries. With these Gideon procured victory for Israel.
Luke tells us that when the Twelve returned they gave an account to Jesus of their mission. He does not go into details, but it is not difficult to imagine that the amazing power of God had worked through them as it later worked through the Seventy-two whom Jesus sent out with similar instructions. They returned rejoicing and said: "Lord, even the devils submit to us when we use your name." (Luke 10:17).
Sometimes the tasks entrusted to us appear overwhelming. They would certainly be if we relied exclusively on our power and resources. But when we have the courage to rely on God's power then we can be assured that such tasks are an invitation to allow God's marvels to be manifested through our human limitations.
