‘Tis the season for vacations. Whether returning to a favorite spot or exploring a new one, whether time will be spent with family or strangers, the promise of time away is often something we look forward to all year. But - before we can get to the travel, the sightseeing, and the adventures, we have to pack. Some people pack light. Others want to be prepared for anything – whatever the weather, whatever the terrain, whatever the occasion, they are ready.
In today’s gospel reading, Jesus sends out the twelve disciples to expand his ministry of preaching and healing. As they prepare to go, Jesus gives them instructions about what to bring, and what they should leave behind. This packing list of sorts for the disciples’ mission and ministry can tell us a bit about what they might expect to encounter.
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| Photo by Nguyen Le Viet Anh on Unsplash |
“[Jesus] called the twelve and began to send them out two by two…” It’s important that the instructions begin here. Mission and ministry are not solitary ventures. The disciples don’t have to do this alone! Instead, they have a partner to travel and work alongside, someone who will be a support and comfort when difficulties and rejection come.
“[Jesus] ordered them to take nothing for their journey...no bread, no bag, no money in their belts...and not to put on two tunics.” The disciples are not sent out equipped with everything they need. Instead, they are instructed to pack light. This means that they won’t be burdened by extra baggage - heavy or bulky bags that will tire them out and make it difficult to travel. It also means that they will have to depend on others and trust in God’s provision.
Alongside the things they’re supposed to leave at home, the disciples are instructed to bring a staff and wear sandals. They are preparing to do a lot of walking, and may need to fight off wild animals. This is not an assignment for the weak or faint of heart.
“When you enter a house,” Jesus tells them, “stay there until you leave the place.” When they arrive somewhere new, the disciples are not to hop around from house to house looking for the fanciest accommodations. Instead, they enter a house and stay there until they leave that town, getting to know the people and building relationships, which is a crucial part of any ministry.
Finally, Jesus says, “if any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” As Jesus prepared the disciples to be sent out, he was preparing them to face rejection and disappointment. Not everyone would welcome them with open arms, or listen to what they had to say. They might be mocked, or shunned, or faced with violence. As we heard earlier in the Gospel reading, even Jesus faced rejection, and in his own hometown no less.
It would not serve them or their ministry to dwell on the rejection. Shake off the dust, Jesus tells them. Shake off the disappointment, frustration, and anger about being rejected, and instead spend your time and energy looking ahead to the next town and the next group of people who will experience the Good News of God’s love and grace.
Jesus’s instructions for the disciples are important reminders for us, too. We can think of them as a sort of packing list for the journey of life.
Just like in mission and ministry, life is not a solitary venture. We are sent out on this journey sometimes two by two, and at other times in threes, or fives. We have family by blood and by choice; we have friends, colleagues, and neighbors with whom we work, play, and journey. We have one another for support and encouragement, sharing with each other the burdens and joys of life.
Along the way, we get to know new people - some who are similar to us and some who are not; some who believe and live as we do, and some who believe and live differently. As we get to know one another, we celebrate both our differences and those things that unite us, the bonds we share because we are human and the things that make us unique. Each of us has joys and fears, talents and curiosity, hopes and dreams.
Most of all, as we journey we are assured of God’s presence, which goes with us always. Community and relationship are central parts of what it means to be created in God’s image, and it is the presence of others, particularly in times of sadness and need, that embodies God with us.
Like the disciples, we, too, are encouraged to pack light. Yes, there’s physical “stuff” that can weigh us down. But I wonder also about other kinds of baggage we carry, which can also burden us and hinder our work. Perhaps burdens like guilt, resentment, anger, or bitterness are weighing us down, keeping us from traveling as far and putting strain on our relationships and ourselves. What are we holding on to unnecessarily, and how might we release it into God’s care? In what ways might we shake off the dust and move forward - lighter, more joyful, full of relief, and ready to encounter that which is ahead of us?
Certainly, packing can be a challenge. With limited space, what do we bring, and what do we leave behind? As we continue on this journey as beloved children of God, Jesus invites us, along with his disciples, to be mindful of what we bring. We already have the grace and love of God tucked in our bag as we are sent out in community to seek community. Add in a few neighbors, a dash of joy, some curiosity, and the art of letting go, and we’re all set. Together, we give thanks to God and share God’s goodness, forgiveness, and love with everyone we meet along the way.
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