July Holy Hour Reflection

Mk 6:7-13

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two
and gave them authority over unclean spirits.
He instructed them to take nothing for the journey
but a walking stick—
no food, no sack, no money in their belts.
They were, however, to wear sandals
but not a second tunic.
He said to them,
"Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave.
Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you,
leave there and shake the dust off your feet
in testimony against them."
So they went off and preached repentance.
The Twelve drove out many demons,
and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

*************************************************
Reflection by Teresa Dion:

Several years ago, I once heard it said that “God doesn’t call the equipped. He equips the called.” The saying struck a chord with me at the time and I have continue to bring this bit of wisdom to mind quite often in my own life when I feel that I lack the resources, energy, know-how, charisma or virtue to deal with a particular challenge. It always brings me confidence—the kind of confidence that can only be born out of faith since it acknowledges my own human insufficiency. I find myself comforted in knowing that God will account for whatever it is I seem to be lacking at the time.
Perhaps it is odd then that in this Gospel, Jesus asks the twelve “to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick—no food, no sack, no money in their belts,” just some sandals for the road and the tunic on their back. After all, this doesn’t seem like the packing list for a successful journey—Maybe the apostles don’t have their own supplies, but isn’t Jesus going to help them plan out their expedition? Isn’t he going to offer them a road map of sorts? Don’t his directions for this mission seem inadequate?

He says, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave. Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.” The apostles might well have asked: “When do you wish us to return?” “Who do you wish us to visit?” “Why me?”

Yet, contrary to what we might expect, the apostles respond with unquestioning obedience. The Gospel simply states, “They went off and preached repentance. The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.”

Reflecting on this story, how can one not be inspired by the deep faith demonstrated by Jesus’ apostles? They express no worries about the lack of supplies for the journey or the question of where their journey will end. Equipped only with the authority given to them by Jesus, they set out to cure the sick and drive out demons—a mission that surely seems daunting even to those of extraordinary faith. Yet rather than shrinking in fear, the apostles recognize the power of Christ’s call and they respond by wholeheartedly embracing that call, setting aside any worries, distractions, questions, or excuses that may easily have held them back.

Today, I think about all the times in life that I am tempted to respond with “Why me, Lord?” “Don’t you want to ask someone more qualified?” or even “I’m just so busy. Maybe next year I’ll get around to that.” But today we all are challenged by the example of the Twelve not to question the mission that lies before us, but to respond with heroic faith and simple obedience. It is only in doing so that we will open ourselves up to the grace of God so that he may work in us and through us, just like he did with the Apostles. We may not set out on our journey with the supplies we expect and we may worry that we are ill-equipped, but if we listen to the Lord's call and trust in His voice, we will accomplish great deeds for the glory of God.