Just Trust

Readings for Thursday July 8, 2010

First Reading: Hosea 11:1-4, 8-9
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 80
Gospel: Matthew 10:7-15


Jesus said to his Apostles: "As you go, make this proclamation: 'The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give. Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts; no sack for the journey, or a second tunic, or sandals, or walking stick. The laborer deserves his keep. Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it, and stay there until you leave. As you enter a house, wish it peace. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; if not, let your peace return to you. Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet. Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town." (Mt. 10:7-15)

In today's gospel, we see Jesus is asking a lot from the disciples. Not only is He sending them on a mission to preach the good news and to heal people, but He is also asking something else ... that they trust in God. He was very clear with them that they were not to take any money, extra clothes, walking stick; and they were not to accept anything of value from the people they met. I can only imagine how the disciples were thinking about if they could survive this mission or not. Jesus was sending them into the unknown, on a mission unlike any other, and not only was He teaching about the power of God and how God works through His people, but He was also teaching them about trust.

Trust in God, this is much easier said than done. Many times we say that we are trusting, but many times our actions do not match up to our words. I think an area where many people have trouble trusting in God is with tithing. Too many times people are trying to stockpile their money, to buy the extra things that they "need" instead of giving to God. They don't give to God because they feel as though they do not have the extra money to. But what most people don't realize is that God will always provide, give to Him first and He will not overlook you. I know many people who are struggling financially, but continue to tithe all that they can, and the Lord blesses them and continues to see that they have all that they really need.

The reality is that God calls each of us to a specific purpose in this life, a specific mission, and we can choose to go about it in fear, or we can look out into the unknown and trust in our Lord.

Father above, we thank you and praise you for the gift of this day. Lord, thank you for all that you have blessed us with and for all that you do. Lord, you always provide for us and we pray for an increase in faith. Lord, we trust in you, help us to remember that you will never fail us or abandon us. We pray for all priests and religious. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.