Posted on 09/22/2026 11:27:41 PM PDT by fidelis
Memorial of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio), Priest
Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic.” Luke 9:1–3
Imagine having the power to lay hands on the sick and heal them. Though it may seem like something from the world of fantasy or superheroes, it is, in truth, a participation in divine authority over nature. While children might dream of such power through comic books or cartoons, the power granted to the Apostles was not only real, it was given for a much higher purpose: to draw souls into eternal salvation.
By this point in Luke’s Gospel, the Twelve had been chosen and appointed as Apostles for at least several weeks, if not months. In Luke 6, Jesus called them after spending the night in prayer on a mountain. Since then, they had been formed by listening to His teachings—such as the Sermon on the Plain—witnessing miracles and exorcisms, seeing Him forgive sins, watching in awe as He calmed a stormy sea, and even beholding Him raise the dead.
After this brief but intense period of formation, Jesus sent them on mission. For this mission, Jesus bestowed upon them His own divine power—to heal, cast out demons, and proclaim the Kingdom of God.
As He sent them, He gave an important instruction: “Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic.” Why would He ask this of them? It wasn’t because of a lack of concern for their needs; rather, He was teaching them a vital spiritual lesson: To be effective instruments of His power and message, they had to rely completely on divine providence.
Imagine being one of the Twelve, entering an unfamiliar village and seeing a crippled man begging at the gate. Suddenly, you feel inspired to lay hands on him and declare his healing. The prompting is so strong, you act. As soon as you say, “Be healed,” the man rises and walks, to the amazement of all. By day’s end, lines of the sick, crippled, and demon-possessed come to you, and each one is healed or delivered.
The next day, a large crowd gathers in the town square. You invite them to sit, then begin preaching all you had heard Jesus teach. As you speak, some are moved to tears; others look to Heaven in joy. Hearts are touched. Chains fall. Lives are changed—all through the instrumentality of your words and presence.
Such a moment would easily lead to the temptation of pride, marveling at all you had done. But Jesus knew this. That’s why, as the day ended and the crowd dispersed, the Apostles had to seek food and shelter from others. That simple act—relying on the kindness of strangers—was a daily reminder that the power they exercised was not their own.
They entered towns empty-handed to remember that it was not they who worked wonders or saved souls, but Christ acting and speaking through them.
Reflect today on how fully you rely on divine providence. Are there times when you are tempted to take credit for what God does through you? Do you seek affirmation and recognition when you serve our Lord? Ask Jesus to give you the grace of humility and detachment, so that you desire only to be a pure instrument of His mercy, never seeking your own glory but always pointing back to Him.
All-powerful Lord, You not only hold full authority over nature, You also possess the power to transform lives and bestow eternal life. Use me as a humble instrument of Your saving mission. Guard my heart against pride and keep me grounded in humility, ever mindful that every good work flows from You. I am but Your servant; You are the source of all goodness. Jesus, I trust in You.
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The Month of September is Dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows
“And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.’” (Luke 2:33-35)
Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of September, 2026:
For the care of water
Let us pray for a just and sustainable management of water, a vital resource, so that everyone may have equal access to it.
Today’s First Reading
From: Proverbs 30:5-9
The Words of Agur
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[5] Every word of God proves true;
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
[6] Do not add to his words,
lest he rebuke you, and you he found a liar.
[7] Two things I ask of thee;
deny them not to me before I die:
[8] Remove far from me falsehood and lying;
give me neither poverty nor riches;
feed me with the food that is needful for me,
[9] lest I be full, and deny thee,
and say, "Who is the Lord?"
or lest I be poor, and steal,
and profane the name of my God.
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Commentary:
30:1-14. "The words of Agur son of Jakeh of Massa" is translated in the Vulgate as "The words of Gatherer the son of Vomiter", a reference, seemingly, to Solomon. St Bede comments: "Immediately afterwards come some words of Solomon, spoken by him in a different way. Perhaps because it is called 'Ecclesiastes' in Greek, the name in Latin is 'He who gathers together''' (In proverbial Salomonis, 30, 1). Verses 2-6 are reminiscent of the style and theme of the book of Job (cf. Job 17:6; 24:25), and after them comes a prayer (vv. 7-9) and some counsels (vv. 10-14). On Massa, see the note on 31:1-9.
30:8-9. "Feed me with the bread that is needful to me'' (v. 8). To have the necessary space to develop a relationship with God and cope with the ordinary affairs of life, a person needs a basic level of subsistence. Lack of the necessaries of life, and having too much of the good things -- both situations are an obstacle to serving God and other people (cf. v. 9). Our Lord taught us to ask in the Our Father, "Give us this day our daily bread'' (cf. Mt 6:11; Lk 11:3). The Roman Catechism sees these words as including ''the idea of a frugal and temperate life, for we should seek only what is needed to meet our natural requirements and not demand many, rich delicacies, […] In the same way, it says 'daily bread', for we eat it to recover our strength and the energy that we use up every day. […] We should often ask to be constant in our love and adoration of God, and to he wholly convinced of the truth that our life and health depends on God'' (4, 13, 13). The opposite would be the attitude of the rich person who draws comfort from the fact that he has wealth, yet it prevents him from seeking God and being concerned about his neighbour. This teaching can he seen, too, in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man (Lk 16:19-31).
From: Luke 9:1-6
The Mission of the Apostles
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[1] And He (Jesus) called the Twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, [2] and He sent them out to preach the Kingdom of God and to heal. [3] And He said to them, "Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. [4] And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. [5] And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them." [6] And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the Gospel and healing everywhere.
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Commentary:
1-4. This is the first mission the Apostles were sent on. Jesus wants them to gain experience which will stand to them in the mission they will have after He ascends into Heaven. He charges them to do what He Himself did--preach the Kingdom of God and heal the sick. This scene is commented on at greater length in notes on Matthew 10:7-8; 10:9-10; and Mark 6:8-9.
[Notes on Matthew 10:7-8 states: 7-8. Previously, the prophets, when speaking of the messianic times, had used imagery suited to the people's spiritual immaturity. Now, Jesus, in sending His Apostles to proclaim that the promised Kingdom of God is imminent, lays stress on its spiritual dimension. The power mentioned in verse 8 are the very sign of the Kingdom of God or the reign of the Messiah proclaimed by the prophets. At first (chapters 8 and 9) it is Jesus who exercises these messianic powers; now He gives them to His disciples as proof that His mission is divine (Isaiah 35:5-6; 40:9; 52:7; 61:1). ]
[Notes on Matthew 10:9-10 states: 9-10. Jesus urges His disciples to set out on their mission without delay. They should not be worried about material or human equipment: God will make up any shortfall. This holy audacity in setting about God's work is to be found throughout the history of the Church: if Christians had bided their time, waiting until they had the necessary material resources, many, many souls would never have received the light of Christ. Once a Christian is clear in his mind about what God wants him to do, he should not stay at home checking to see if he has the wherewithal to do it. "In your apostolic undertakings you are right--it's your duty--to consider what means the world can offer you (2 + 2 = 4), but don't forget--ever!--that, fortunately, your calculations must include another term: God + 2 + 2..." (St J. Escriva, "The Way", 471).
However, that being said, we should not try to force God's hand, to have Him do something exceptional, when in fact we can meet needs by our own efforts and work. This means that Christians should generously support those who, because they are totally dedicated to the spiritual welfare of their brethren, have no time left over to provide for themselves: in this connection see Jesus' promise in Matthew 10:40-42. ]
[Notes on Mark 6:8-9 states: 8-9. Jesus requires them to be free of any form of attachment if they are to preach the Gospel. A disciple, who has the mission of bringing the Kingdom of God to souls through preaching, should not rely on human resources but on God's Providence. Whatever he does need in order to live with dignity as a herald of the Gospel, he must obtain from those who benefit from his preaching, for the laborer deserves his maintenance (cf. Matthew 10:10).
"The preacher should so trust in God that he is convinced that he will have everything he needs to support life, even if he cannot himself obtain it; for he should not neglect eternal things through worrying about temporal things" (St. Bede, "In Marci Evangelium Expositio, in loc."). "By these instructions the Lord did not mean that the evangelists should not seek to live in any other way than by depending on what was offered them by those to whom they preached the Gospel; otherwise this very Apostle [St. Paul] would have acted contrary to this precept when he earned his living by the labor of his own hands" (St. Augustine, "De Consensu Evangelistarum", II, 30).]
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