💖 HOMILY - FEBRUARY 6 💖

First Reading - Hebrews 12:18-19,21-24 

Gospel - Mark 6:7-13

Imagine, for a moment, the weight of a backpack filled with everything you think you need for a journey—extra clothes, a map, snacks, a first-aid kit, maybe even a backup charger. Now picture setting it down and walking forward with nothing but the shoes on your feet and a walking stick. That’s what Jesus asks of his disciples in today’s Gospel. It’s a radical image, one that cuts to the heart of what it means to trust God. But before we can understand the courage of that trust, we must first grasp the foundation of it: the God we follow is not a distant, fearsome figure but a loving Father who invites us into His very presence.  

The First Reading from Hebrews takes us back to Mount Sinai, where God’s presence descended in smoke, fire, and trumpet blasts so terrifying that even Moses trembled. The people were warned not to touch the mountain, for holiness and human frailty could not coexist. Yet now, the author declares, we approach not a mountain of fear but a city of light—the heavenly Jerusalem. Through Christ, we stand in the presence of a God who no longer demands perfection from afar but welcomes us as His children, washed clean by the blood of Jesus. This is the God we serve: one who transforms trembling into trust, distance into intimacy, and fear into freedom.  

This freedom is what Jesus invites His disciples into in the Gospel of Mark. He sends them out with nothing—no bread, no money, no extra clothes—only a command to preach repentance, heal the sick, and cast out demons. At first glance, it seems reckless. Why not let them pack a bag? Why not give them resources to ensure their success? But Jesus is making a point: *the mission is not theirs—it’s God’s*. Their emptiness becomes the space where God’s power shines. Their vulnerability becomes a testimony to His provision. When they return, astonished at what they’ve accomplished, they learn a lesson we all need: God does not call the equipped; He equips the called.  

These two readings are two sides of the same coin. The God who once made Moses tremble at Sinai now dwells within us, making us fearless. The disciples’ journey with nothing but a staff is not a lesson in poverty but in freedom—freedom from the lie that we must save ourselves, control outcomes, or carry the weight of the world on our shoulders. It’s an invitation to walk unburdened, knowing that the God who called us is the God who sustains us.  

So what does this mean for us today? It means asking hard questions: What’s in your backpack? What are you clinging to—security, plans, pride, fear—that keeps you from relying fully on God? Maybe it’s the need to have every detail mapped out before you act. Maybe it’s the fear of looking foolish if you step out in faith. Maybe it’s the lie that you’re not “holy enough” or “ready enough” to serve. Jesus strips those excuses away. He says, “Go now. Take nothing. Trust me.”  

This doesn’t mean we don’t prepare or work hard. It means we hold our plans and possessions loosely, knowing that true success comes not from our effort but from His Spirit. When we pray for the sick, speak up for justice, forgive someone who hurt us, or share our faith, we’re not doing it alone. We’re leaning into the authority Jesus gave us—the same authority that calmed storms and raised the dead.  

Today, let’s dare to set down our backpacks. Let’s stop trying to earn God’s presence through perfection and start resting in the truth that we’re already welcomed, already loved, already enough. Let’s step out, not because we’re brave, but because He’s faithful. The disciples returned from their mission amazed at what God had done through them. Imagine what He might do through us if we let go and trust Him.  

Let’s pray:  

Lord, give us the courage to walk unburdened. Help us to trade our fear for Your freedom, our plans for Your purpose, and our weakness for Your strength. Remind us daily that we are citizens of Your heavenly city, called to reflect Your light in a world that desperately needs it. Amen.