From the time of the first disciples until today, the Lord continues to invite all those who seek to follow him to take no gold, silver or copper in our belts, no sack for the journey, no second tunic, no sandals ... (Mt 10:9-10) nothing except for what we truly need.
These words are just as challenging today as they were when they were first spoken. It is never easy for us to separate us from the things that the rest of the world continually attempts to convince us are necessary for our happiness, yet it is precisely at the moment when we begin to leave all the baggage behind us that we truly begin to understand the great gift that Jesus was proposing for each and every one of us: unburdened by the things of this world, we are more easily able to journey with him, to hear his words and to put them into practice.
We have a wonderful example of this virtue of self-abandonment in the life of Saint Benedict of Nursia (480-547 AD), whose feast day we observe today. He was the first to recognize the importance of community life as a means of support for the life of monks. At the heart of his vocation was a call to renounce everything that would have distracted him from focusing on God. In the end, his commitment to seeking peace through a balanced approach to prayer, work and hospitality allowed him to focus on the importance of very simple but essential realities.
What are the extra things that we have accumulated - sometimes without even realizing it? Which of these things are not absolutely necessary for us to be happy? If we had to leave them behind, could we? ... all so that we can focus more clearly on the Lord's call to follow him.
Have a great day.
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