RELYING ON PROVIDENCE

Wednesday, 25^th Week in Ordinary Time  

            In sending out his disciples to the mission, Jesus instructs them to take nothing for the journey – no food, no sack, no money, only a walking stick. This is not just an instruction to travel light. This is Jesus’ way of teaching us to trust in the divine providence.

            Working for God, collaborating with Christ, we must not be preoccupied with material things. Since it is God’s business we are about, God will surely provide for our material needs. He will surely give us what we need for the mission. He will never allow us to be without those things we need to live a purposeful, meaningful, and fulfilled life, to work for God’s kingdom and to be fruitful for God, to collaborate with Christ and accomplish our mission.

            Do you believe that?  At times it can be hard to believe. At times we can feel overwhelmed by our wants and needs and believe that we must take care of everything ourselves. It is true that we are called to offer all our time and energy, all our talents, abilities, and resources to God so that he can use us and work through us. But we should never forget that God is ultimately the one taking care of us personally. He is the one who is most attentive to our every need of our lives.

            The Lord wants us to be free from too much preoccupation with and too much worry about material things. Why? Because the fact is they get in the way of our reaching out to God in trust of our reaching out to our neighbor in service. We are also reminded that our personal concerns often serve as hindrance to trusting God, thus, we are unable to perform our mission as we should. Yet, if we are convinced that God directs and guides our life, if we are assured of the promises of his Word, we open the door of our life to his presence, and then, we can rely upon his goodness to provide for our needs. We must hold on to this truth: The Lord who has called and sent us will surely provide for our needs. The Lord is reminding us that we are to be detached from non-essentials in order to be free for the most essential: the kingdom of God.