At a recent memorial service, I heard a daughter marvel at how her mother was able to let go of her things with each move: beloved furniture, inherited dishes, favorite books, unneeded clothing. This journey of relinquishment comes to all of us. For those who understand it as preparation, the journey can be full of grace. And it can begin whenever we choose to take our spiritual lives seriously.
When Jesus sent 70 disciples out in pairs to test his welcome in the countryside,* his directions were specific and clear: “Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals, and greet no one on the road.” In other words, take nothing extra. No distractions, no reserves. Go with open hands. When you arrive, stay where you are welcomed. Don’t move around. Eat what is offered. Your needs will be met. Announce that God is near. And if you are not welcomed, simply move on. No judgment. No condemnation. There is no quota to fill, no headcount or production goal. Whether accepted or rejected, God’s realm is here and now. Offer yourself as you are. Receive what others can give.
What a surprising promise! What our society counts as loss, our faith sees as guidance for the spiritual journey. Make space. Choose simplicity. Be at peace. On retreat, I see this choice most often as reluctance to give up one’s cell phone in order to create space for deeper reflection. Being tied to the phone, or tablet, or computer, is a kind of slavery. Being able to use it or not use it is a mark of freedom.
And with such freedom, God comes.
–Marjory Zoet Bankson, Seekers Church
- What would you hate to give up right now?
- How do you measure success and failure?
- Where do you live with a sense of freedom?
