Homily on Matthew 10:7-15: Take Nothing

Take Nothing with You — A Homily on Trusting the One Who Sends (Matthew 10:7-15)

Praise be to Jesus Christ 🙏 

A man once went to visit a dying priest who had served for many years in a far-off village. The priest owned nothing—just a worn Bible, a wooden cross, and a mat to sleep on. The visitor, surprised by the simplicity, asked, “Father, where are your things?” The priest smiled gently and said, “I’m just a traveler. I don’t collect things on the way.” The man said, “But you’ve lived here for 40 years!” The priest looked at him and replied softly, “Yes, but I was called to follow Jesus who said, ‘Take nothing with you.’ I listened to Him. And I’ve never lacked anything. He who called me has always been faithful to me.”

That one line — “Take nothing with you” — is from today’s Gospel, and it holds a deep challenge and a hidden promise. Jesus sends out His disciples with strict instructions: no money, no bag, no extra clothes. Just go. Preach. Heal. Bless. Trust.

Jesus doesn’t say this to make their journey hard. He says it to make their faith strong. Because when we carry nothing, we must depend fully on the One who sends us.

Many of us think we need to prepare more before we act—more resources, more support, more backup. But the Gospel doesn’t wait for perfect conditions. It only waits for willing hearts.

Jesus is not against planning or wisdom. But He wants us to know that the success of the mission depends not on what we bring but on the One who sends us.

When we cling too tightly to money, position, or comfort, we stop depending on God. The more we carry, the less room we give Him to work through us.

Look at the saints. Saint Teresa of Calcutta, Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Damien in the leper colonies—none of them started with power or possessions. They walked empty into the hardest places. And the world saw in them a strength that only heaven could give.

Even the priest in the story had nothing. Yet in that poverty, he found peace. In that simplicity, he carried something richer than gold—the message of Christ. He lacked nothing because he followed the One who provides everything.

When we take nothing with us, we also leave behind fear, pride, and the constant pressure to succeed. We become more free, more available, more real. And then people don’t just hear the Gospel — they see it alive in us.

Let us also remember this truth: When we have everything, we may forget Jesus. But when we have only a little, we begin to call out to Him. And that cry opens the way for grace.

Dear brothers and sisters, let us reflect: What is Jesus asking me to leave behind? What have I packed in my heart that is weighing me down?

There is a quiet strength in those who walk light and trust deep. And when Jesus sends us out, He doesn’t send us alone. He walks with us, providing along the way.

Lord, may I carry less, so that I may follow You more and need You always. Amen.