Take Nothing for the Journey– Summer Re-post

Five years after writing Traveling Light (posted on 7/02/2024), I was inspired to take another look at this familiar passage from Luke 9 and it’s very powerful footnote which, in the New American Bible, says: “the absolute detachment required of the disciple leads to complete reliance on God.”

“Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic.” (Luke 9:3)

A group that my husband and I belong to was planning a short worship service, and we volunteered to write the Prayer of Thanksgiving. We chose thanksgiving because, despite the illnesses and injuries we both have endured over the last few years, there were still so many blessings that we were grateful for. As I reflected on God’s blessings, I realized that even the trials of my husband’s illness had their bright spots; and that thankfully, the doctors and nurses had been wonderful, and all the scans and treatments had produced some good results.

On the day before the meeting, with the prayer all written, the readings at Mass made me think I might want to revise it. The Gospel that day was the one in which Jesus sends His disciples out two-by-two. It contains the verse in which Jesus says to them, “Take nothing for the journey” (Luke 9:3). Jesus intended for His disciples to learn “complete reliance on God.” It seemed to me that it would be wonderful to be so trusting. Wonderful, but not easy! To trust God completely, and be thankful, not only when life is sunny and good, but also when it gets dark and scary, painful and uncertain, takes a lot of courage. It takes guts!

If we look at our lives as a journey, it is completely natural to want to choose our own course, to make plans, and even to map out a specific route. But what if God’s travel plans for us are totally different from our own? Certainly, my husband and I never chose to experience the problems we were facing. But as we were finalizing that prayer of thanksgiving, we were beginning to understand what Jesus was trying to teach His disciples that day. That is, if we believe that God is in control, and we believe that He loves us, then we have to believe that He set us on this path for a reason. And if He says to us, “Take nothing for the journey,” then, as His disciples, we need to give up our maps and our plans and begin to trust Him completely.

Then out of Trust will come Hope, and out of Hope will come Peace. And when Peace reigns in our hearts, we can be thankful no matter where He leads us. And how truly wonderful that will be!

“Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)