"...He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick–no food, no sack, no money in their belts...." Mk 6:7-13
God is good, all the time.
Here we are, friends. In today's gospel, Jesus sends out the disciples to go and preach what they have experienced and heard from him: love, compassion, kind-heartedness, humility, and service. Part Jesus' instructions to them was, "Take nothing for the journey but a walking stick–no food, no sack, no money in their belts." That meant they were to go simple and stay simple.
It is like the story of a man traveling on a long desert road carrying a sack loaded with stones, and there were weeds around his wastes to the feet. Looking tied as he walked, someone asked him, "why do you carry these heavy stones along such way, making you exhausted?" At that, he realized the uselessness of his burden and put down the stones and continued with his journey, feeling somehow relieved. Going further, another person asked him, "why do you have weeds around you, hampering your movement?" Then he realized he needed to let go of the weeds, after which he was free to move faster.
Jesus told the disciples to go simple and stay simple. Sometimes, the things we do keep us busy and stop us from responding to the gospel, we never realize how futile they may be until later. But if we trust the Lord, we will recognize it and do only what is needed.
Remember also that Jesus sent the disciples in twos to preach, cultivating in them the sense of companionship, interdependence, and unity, which are the characteristics of God's kingdom. The critical question is not only asking what you are doing to live out your faith but also what we are doing to promote the gospel and maintain and live the church's mission. The "I" and the "we" are intertwined in such an endeavor.
Prayer blessings: Father, give me strength when are failing, and direct me towards the right path when I am losing my way. Amen.