Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two
and gave them authority over unclean spirits.
He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick
What does Jesus ask of his disciples? In today's Gospel we can observe a few elements which were likely important, not only for this early mission of the disciples, but for all disciples in all generations.
The first element is that he sent them out two by two, meaning he desired that they be able to work together and cooperate. In some ways this might seem inferior, since if they went out alone they could cover more ground. But, as going alone is always a recipe for disaster in horror movies, so too is it a bad practice for disciples. The reason for this can be discerned from the fact that Jesus gave them his authority. Working together with another tends to ensure that each helps the other remember the mission priorities when either is tempted to forget. Without this pairing of partners it would have been much easier to forget that they were not meant to wield their own authority or walk in their own power. But together meant that they would less easily take everything on their own shoulders and be more likely to remember Jesus and his instructions.
The second element is that he sent them out without what they might have considered adequate preparation. They went with next to nothing on their journey. This made them more dependent on God, but also more interdependent on those to whom they went to proclaim the Gospel. They were dependent on others for their hospitality, and God's providence to ensure that, even if a place did not welcome them or accept them, their integrity was preserved and they were able to move on. The point of this second element is not so much that we should immediately divest of all of our precautions, preparations, or possessions. Yet it is nevertheless probable that Jesus will occasionally desire to see how we fare without them and put us in situations where we either can't make use of them or where they can't help with the specific problem at hand. When we can't access this merely human sphere of preparedness we shouldn't try not to be discouraged but to look to Jesus, seeing ourselves as in similar shoes to these first disciples.
When we work together, relying on the resources of Jesus more than ourselves, we too may have to become effective disciples, bringing the authority of Jesus to bear in a world that is ever increasingly in need.
No, you have approached Mount Zion
and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,
and countless angels in festal gathering
It is to this heavenly gathering that we draw near every Sunday and in fact everytime we participate in the mass. But as long there are many who are yet unaware that Wisdom has set her table we still have work to do. The disciples didn't have to be strong or competent to accomplish this work and neither do we. We need only be faithful.
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