I was a Cub Scout as a kid, but never advanced to the Boy Scouts. Still, I always appreciated their motto, “Always be prepared.” When I travel for a speaking engagement, my carry-on backpack is crammed with stuff I may need if things go sideways.
I associate preparedness with wisdom and prudence, which are virtues. Jesus says as much in his parable of the ten virgins.
This is why his instructions to his apostles feel so peculiar when he sends them out on their first mission. There are slightly varied accounts of this in the Gospels, but I’m going to focus on Matthew’s version because that’s the one I recently examined in a Bible study with a group of homeschoolers:
Jesus sent out these twelve after instructing them thus, “Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give. Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts; no sack for the journey, or a second tunic, or sandals, or walking stick.
–Matthew 10:5-10
The list of very specific items seems significant, so I figure there must be a reason Jesus excluded each one. Let’s take a look at the possible meaning behind them.
💰 Money. This, of course, is the fail-safe. The multipurpose trump card can provide for whatever comes up: food, shelter, clothes, protection. It’s the ultimate security blanket. It’s also the most likely thing we’re tempted to place our security in other than God.
🎒 The Sack. Like my travel backpack, this would have been a handy way to carry an assortment of items for a variety of contingencies to make the journey easier, safer, and more comfortable. Without one, there is no way to bring any trail mix, sunblock, or just-in-case items. Nor would the apostles be able to collect any useful items, gifts, or souvenirs along the way.
🧥 Second Tunic. In contrast to the other excluded items, this might seem like the easiest one to leave behind. But with everything else prohibited from the packing list, the second tunic takes on a new level of value as a backup item that could be traded when money is not an option. This underscores the need for total dependence on God.
🩴 Sandals. Just in case you thought this would be an easy, painless journey, let’s leave the shoes behind, too. Besides providing comfort and protection over the rocky terrain, sandals could also communicate the wealth and status of the wearer. There is little more humble or vulnerable than showing up somewhere barefoot.
🩼 The Walking Stick. I have a friend who has walked the Camino de Santiago many times and emphasized the usefulness of walking sticks. Likewise, this not only would have made the disciples’ arduous journey easier by providing extra support, but it could also be used for protection against wild animals and robbers.
So, Jesus sent his apostles out on their first big mission, and then promptly freaked out them, every Mom, and future Boy Scout leaders until the end of time by prohibiting everything they’d need to make the journey successful.
Well, almost everything.
Jesus took every conceivable necessity off the table, except one: God. He knew that God would provide everything they needed. He also knew that they were about to do some pretty rad things: curing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing lepers, and driving out demons. It would have been very tempting for the apostles to come back feeling pretty good about themselves. By stripping away any ability to provide for themselves, Jesus was ensuring there’d be no doubt about who was responsible for the successful outcome.
I think this is a great parallel to our journey through Lent.
Lent is a time of pruning, a stripping back of worldly things we carry with us that fool us into thinking we’re in control. And it’s a reminder that all the credit for any successes we enjoy belongs to God alone.
At the end of each Mass, the priest sends us out on a mission to do battle against the forces of evil. (Did you know the word “Mass” comes from the Latin word missa, which means to be “sent?”) At the Last Supper, Jesus gave his Apostles (and us) new instructions to follow on this mission until he comes again:
And He said to them, “When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?” They said, “No, nothing.” And He said to them, “But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his cloak and buy one.
–Luke 22:35-36
Boy Scouts and wannabe Boy Scouts rejoice! You are allowed to go forth prepared!
We should utilize all the gifts and resources God has given us, including the “sword of the spirit,” which is what St. Paul calls the Word of God.
But.
No matter how prepared we think we are, no matter how many tools we have at our disposal, there is only one thing we must not leave behind. There is only one thing that ensures our success.
The most important thing to bring with us on our mission is Jesus.
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