I’m a heavy packer. My friends would joke that my toiletries alone are as heavy as their carry-on bags.

I remember long time ago, when I didn’t know any better, I had to unload stuff since my luggage was over the airline limit. So I wore several layers of clothes right at the airport counter. I also removed a few more kilos from my check-in luggage just to be allowed to board the plane. It was embarrassing to say the least!

That’s why verses like these in the Gospel today speak to me. 
Take nothing. 
It’s an invitation to strip away anything unnecessary. 
It is a call to lighten the burdens we carry. 
After all, it was only a small stone that defeated a giant. 
It was only a tiny mustard seed of faith that made a mountain move. 
And only five loaves and two fish fed the multitudes.
Take nothing else. 

Lallaine Gogna (lallygogna@yahoo.com)

reflect

What unnecessary thing must you die to so that you may live God’s abundant life?

Lord, teach me to live simply and walk humbly with You.

Saint Agatha, virgin and martyr, pray for us.

Each of us will eventually die to our mortal lives. Let us do all the good we can and leave behind a legacy of goodness. Let us embrace God’s calling with obedience and live quiet, humble lives of faith. May we do His will so that He may draw all people to Himself through our witness. Let us trust in the power of a life lived in obedience to His call.

¹ When the time of David’s death drew near, he gave these instructions to his son Solomon: ² “I am going the way of all flesh. Take courage and be a man. ³ Keep the mandate of the Lord, your God, following his ways and observing his statutes, commands, ordinances, and decrees as they are written in the law of Moses, that you may succeed in whatever you do, wherever you turn, ⁴ and the Lord may fulfill the promise he made on my behalf when he said, ‘If your sons so conduct themselves that they remain faithful to me with their whole heart and with their whole soul, you shall always have someone of your line on the throne of Israel.’” ¹⁰ David rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. ¹¹ The length of David’s reign over Israel was forty years: he reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. ¹² Solomon was seated on the throne of his father David, with his sovereignty firmly established.

Responsorial Psalm | 1 Chronicles 29:10, 11, 11-12, 12

R: Lord, you are exalted over all.

¹⁰ “Blessed may you be, O Lord, God of Israel our father, from eternity to eternity.” (R) ¹¹ “Yours, O Lord, are grandeur and power, majesty, splendor, and glory.” (R) “Lord, you are exalted over all. Yours, O Lord, is the sovereignty; ¹² Riches and honor are from you.” (R) “In your hand are power and might; it is yours to give grandeur and strength to all.” (R) 

Gospel | Mark 6:7-13

Why does Jesus advise us to take only a little with us in the work of salvation? So that we always remember that evangelization is God’s work. We are called to be workers in the harvest, taking instruction from the Lord on what to do each day. 

Gospel Acclamation

The Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel.

⁷ Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. ⁸ He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick—no food, no sack, no money in their belts. ⁹ They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic. ¹⁰ He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there. ¹¹ Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.” ¹² So they went off and preached repentance. ¹³ The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

Read the Bible in one year! Read 1 CORINTHIANS 9 - 12 today.

What is your life’s walking stick or sandals? Just as the Apostles carried their walking sticks—reminiscent of Moses’ staff that guided the Israelites out of Egypt—and wore sandals symbolizing their ancestors’ journey to the Promised Land, we, too, are called to carry only what is essential on our journey. What are the guiding principles and sources of strength that help you face life’s challenges?

Jesus instructed His Apostles to rely on faith, love, and trust in God, leaving material possessions behind. The walking stick represents the wisdom and values passed down through family, mentors, Scripture, and Church Tradition. The sandals symbolize the relationships and love that protect and support us, much like the companionship and faith we receive from family, friends, and community.Jesus’ reminder is not pious or preachy, but practical. We travel light—focusing on what truly sustains us.

So, what are your walking stick and sandals? Are you grounded in the values that matter, or do you rely too much on things that will fade away? Let’s reflect on what truly supports us on this journey, knowing that with God as our guide, we have all we need to walk faithfully toward the promise of eternal life. 

Fr. Paolo Asprer, SSP

reflection question

What are your walking stick and sandals?

Lord, let faith and love be our walking stick, steady and true, and the relationships that uplift us be the sandals that carry us forward. Guide our every step, trusting that You are our strength and provision on this sacred journey. May we walk in Your wisdom and grace, ever focused on the eternal promise You offer. Amen.

Today, I pray for: _______________________________