Jesus appoints a group of 72 to go ahead of him. They will test the waters, see where the welcome waits and where it does not. More importantly, they will leave the secure camaraderie of their tight circle and venture forth, two by two, into God’s wide world of blessed and bewildered people. To prepare for such a journey, Jesus tells them not to save up, but to strip down.*
Relinquish all props of security—take no money, no food, no extra sandals. Ask for nothing special; you will find what you need. Receive whatever is given; it will be meant for you. Release whatever is withheld; it is not for you. Pass the peace. Whether or not you are welcomed, announce that God is near. Walk on.
What an ease-full journey. No pre-determined quotas to fill, no salvation tallies, no charts to calculate blessings given against blessings received. No blame or shame. Just this: Be yourself. Give what is yours to give. Receive what others are able to give. Whether accepted or rejected, God’s realm is near.
In such open-hearted encounters, God comes. When we step into the currents of life, willing to stay put or move on, be loved or be turned away, God’s realm is near—the realm of oneness that God intends. This is simply the nature of the free and faithful journey.
–Kayla McClurg, Passage By Passage (Year C)
- What am I being asked to relinquish now for the journey?
- How do I calculate my success or lack of success?
- Where do I experience my heart being most open?
