We know from the gospels that Jesus gave the people he had chosen as his companions a share in his ministry. He sent them out to preach the good news, to proclaim the Kingdom. To help his inexperienced disciples in their mission Jesus gave them instructions. Carrying out these instructions would ensure that their ministry would bear fruit. In the advice Jesus gave his disciples three things stand out.
1. The disciples were not to travel on their own, but in pairs, two by two. Jesus knew the importance and value of companionship. Indeed, the first thing he did when he began his ministry was to gather a group of companions around him. We need people in our lives who give us encouragement and support, people who lift us when we are sad and celebrate with us when we are glad. We also need people with whom we can have soulful conversations, people who know us at a deep level and who accept unconditionally the stories of our lives.
2. The disciples were to take no excess baggage, only the things they needed for their work. Jesus did not want unnecessary things cluttering the lives of his young missionaries. He did not want them to lose their focus, to get distracted especially by material possessions. One of the traps we can fall into is accumulation. Accumulation only clutters our lives and pulls us away from what is essential. Jesus’ life and work were focused on the building of relationships. It needs to be the same for us. Our focus too needs to be on creating and sustaining caring and compassionate relationships.
3. The disciples were to bless in a special way those who offered them hospitality. In the Jewish tradition hospitality was a sacrament; indeed it was the primal sacrament. By welcoming others, both friends and strangers, and inviting them to sit at table the Jews believed they were welcoming and feeding the Lord himself. There are two types of hospitality. One is hospitality of the table. This focuses on our material needs. We are asked to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless and care for the sick. The second is hospitality of the heart. This responds to our emotional needs. We are invited to listen to those who need to talk, affirm those who feel inadequate and comfort those who feel lonely. Both hospitality of the table and hospitality of the heart put flesh on the care and companionship of Jesus. Together they are a powerful sacrament of the presence of the Lord in our lives.