Our Holy Father Paul, Archbishop of Constantinople and Confessor (c. 353-61)
2 Corinthians 11:1-6; Luke 9:1-6
Read Luke 9:1-6
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
Have you ever been backpacking? I remember the first time I went out, all over-zealous and not exactly knowing what was doing and packing my bag for everything that I thought I needed. After setting out for our overnight mountain summit, it wasn’t long before my hips, feet and legs were so sore I wasn’t sure if I would be able to actually complete the adventure! I think it may have been only my foolish pride that kept me on the trail until the end. It wasn’t until years later, while preparing for another trip that I realised I had grossly over-packed. Every pound of equipment needs to justify itself when you are walking long distances. I had not packed light my first go around and I had learned my lesson!
The disciples are instructed by the Lord in our gospel today to pack light when preaching the kingdom of God, healing, and exorcising. They are to rely on God for both their mission and their needs. They cannot afford to be sidetracked by other priorities or distracted by the physical goods of this world.
How about us? Do we find our ultimate purpose and mission in our relationship with the Lord and his calling to spread the gospel? Are our lives overly complicated with the conflicting priorities of the world? Let’s take some time during this Nativity Fast to lighten our pack in order to follow our Lord more effectively!