The Gospel today reflects several teachings of Jesus,
- It speaks of a wallet. The Greek word for wallet is pera which can mean collecting bag. Very often priests went out with these bags to collect contributions for their temple and their god. They have been described as “pious robbers” with their take growing from village to village.
So, when Jesus tells His disciples that they should take no supplies for the road, He is saying that they must trust in God. He is also saying they should not be like the priests; they should be about giving not getting.
- Jesus is also making a comparison between the temple and one’s home. In doing so He asks His disciples to put aside extra clothes much as they would be expected to do entering the temple. It may be that Jesus was suggesting that His followers should see the humble homes that they were entering as sacred as the Temple where they worshiped.
- Jesus reminded them that hospitality was a sacred duty in the East. When a stranger entered a village, it was not the traveler’s duty to search for hospitality, it was the duty of the village to offer it. Thus, if hospitality was not offered, they should shake the dust from their sandals and move on.
So, the mark of Christian discipleship was to be of utter simplicity, trust, and generosity.
So, let us remember the lesson of the Gospel. Let us make our homes a place of hospitality especially for our God. May our attitude of welcoming, hospitality and care for others be a sign that Jesus is indeed present in our midst.
Let us look forward to that moment when we can one day gather again at table with family and friends, a table where Christ is always a welcome guest.