Religion & Spirituality
Homily for the Memorial of Saint Blase, bishop and martyr Today in the gospel, we see the disciples starting to get into the action of really getting their hands in the work. Jesus has given them the authority over any unclean spirits, he has paired them up, and now he is sending them out to do the work. The disciples, with their lack of food, money, and clothing are learning a new lesson - how to depend on and trust in Jesus with their every need. They are learning to listen to his word and to obey whatever he says. And that is the most important lesson anyone can learn in their life. This is a lesson that can be difficult for us to learn as we follow Jesus. Very rarely are we in situations where we have to be 100% dependent on anyone else. Our lives are more often overfilled than underfilled, and we have mastered the art of independence. The call of the Gospel, however, is a call to dependence. It is a call to rely completely on our Savior. It is a call to let our Provider provide. It is a call to obedience and faithfulness to the one who has given his life so that we might live. This dependence on Jesus is a dependence that we all must learn as we draw closer to him and allow him to work in our lives. Without Christ, we would be completely lost. We are dependent on him for all things, and our relationship with him will only improve if we can realize that dependence.