Ordinary Time, 15th Sunday (B) The whole human race has a long love affair with self-reliance. We are convinced that a good, happy, and successful human life will be the fruit of our hard work and intelligence. Repent!

When Jesus sends his missionaries out two-by-two, he precisely prevents them from relying on themselves. They can only carry what they need for the day and they have to trust God for the rest. God's power enables them to accomplish so much more than they could on their own.

They are equipped with their true identity and also with the help of a fellow Christian. Self-reliance leads to isolation. Trusting in God leads to community. Lastly, what do we do when people refuse to listen? We must shake the dust off our feet. We cannot allow their rejection to cause us to doubt the value of Jesus. We are always tempted to fall back on self-reliance. Repent!

(14 Jul 2024)

Going Deeper: How has self-reliance crept back into your life lately? Make a list, then create some strategies to stop being so self-reliant. Hahaha gotcha there. Your hard work won't get you out of self-reliance.

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