Dear Friends,
Having recently returned from vacation, I am very aware of how much stuff I packed and took with me on the journey. I take pride in the fact that I strive to travel light. I check all the bags when I get home to make sure that I did not carry anything with me that I did not use. I probably could have done without a raincoat on this trip, however, it normally rains in England and Scotland. We were just blessed to get very nice weather throughout the trip. Everything else I used and brought back dirty.
All of that brings me to the packing list that Jesus gives to his 72 disciples today. It is not clear how long they were going to be on the road but he says, “Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way.” Going to London, I had a money bag (and several credit cards), two sacks (a carry-on and a checked bag) and an extra pair of shoes (comfortable ones for around the hotel). Clearly, Jesus would have pulled me aside and had a few words with me about over-packing!
What is Jesus getting at when he instructs his disciples to proceed in this way? Without money, you have no way to buy things along the way or pay for lodging. Without a bag of some kind, you have no way of carrying a change of clothes or some bread for the road. And no matter how tough your feet are, you can’t run from danger on rocky terrain without something on your feet.
Anyone traveling in this strange way would certainly draw attention to themselves. They would be engaged in a kind of prophetic action. The point of this way of traveling would seem to be: we are people who trust in God for our defense and who depend on the hospitality of others for our sustenance; we have a vision to share.
I am not sure why Jesus would tell them to greet no one along the way. While I am not a big talker with the strangers who share seats with me on the plane, I think it is good to be polite and engage in some social niceties. Bible scholars say, “In the Near Eastern setting, the point here is not avoiding the courtesy of giving or responding to a friendly greeting; it is rather a mandate not to engage in the extended pleasantries and exchanges that were customary in those parts. The point of this travel style is not unfriendliness but moving with an air of urgency.”
Jesus wanted his followers to be focused and for others to experience their focused approach. You also hear in today’s Gospel that the group has great success. They experience the reality that when you are working with Jesus, you share in God’s power. They were able to conquer evil. Jesus, however, tells them not to get all excited about those little powers. Instead, they should be excited about their place in heaven after this life.
How does this apply to Christians now who are not on the road and hold down a steady job? The missionary charge suggests that even followers of Jesus should be people who “travel light,” live a little more trustingly than the culture around them, and have a sense of purpose that goes beyond producing and consuming goods and being entertained.
This month, our Cabrini Communities will be reflecting on the call from Jesus to live a simple life. Jesus knows we get distracted by stuff so easily. We need ready reminders that we are to focus on God and not on our stuff.
My niece and nephew and I used the London Underground (the Tube) to get around. When we were carrying our luggage with us to go to the train station or the airport it made the Tube experience much more challenging. The constant warning to “mind the gap” had a very real value as we struggled to lift luggage off the subway and on to the platform. Jesus would have probably stood there, smiled, shook his head and said quietly, “travel light”.
Peace,
Fr. Damian