15 July 2018
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today’s gospel provides a list of material things needed, and not needed to preach the good news. The list looks sparse, a list that runs opposite of my mother’s outlook on packing (even for a 5 hour trip) which was “you never know…” Our family outings involved massive packing and so the inside of our 1957 Chevy trunk looked like a family fleeing east Berlin instead of what was required for a picnic on Lake Michigan. Preaching the gospel means just that, sharing the news about God’s love for us and how Christ through the Church continues that effort even though human fraility at times gets in the way. The gospel reminds us that we can do more with less. There is, however, a wonderful little reminder of practicality in the readings when Jesus reminds his disciples that they should wear sandals. The readings remind us of that Ignatian project of discernment, of continually asking ourselves what we really need and what is important.