People with no faith often marvel at devout Christians who seem to get by with little visible means of support. Their support is the invisible God who provides for their every need, and who supports them in times of hardship. They possess a great gift which no money or influence can buy. Even if they have little to nothing but still have faith, they know they have everything.

In today’s scripture, the Lord sends His followers out to spread the good news of the Gospel to everyone they would meet, and told them not to worry about taking anything for the journey. They were not to worry about “food or money in their belts” or anything that would weigh them down and distract them from their mission.

There’s a story about a wise and holy man who lived far away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. He gained a reputation for his spiritual insights, and people visited him from far and wide to listen to what he had to say. One day a tourist stopped by to see him and was shocked at how the wise man lived with no possessions in a one bedroom hut with a mere bed, a table, and a few books. “How can you live like this?” said the tourist. “Where are your furniture and possessions?” “Where are yours?” replied the wise man. “Where are mine?” said the tourist laughing. “I’m only a visitor here passing through.” “So am I,” answered the wise man.

Yes, we’re all passing through, and the Lord wants us to use our time here on this earth with as few distractions as possible so we can spread His message of loving one another the way He has loved us.

Living the Christian faith asks for a special attitude. It requires you to set your heart on the example of Jesus, and it calls for specific, daily choices to follow Him.

Some time ago one of the readers of my blogs wrote to me, asking how I could believe in a mere theory. In answer, I replied that belief in Jesus, for me, was not a theory. It is a way of life. It affects how I live, how I love and how I aspire to treat others the way Christ treats us. For the practicing Christian, Jesus is very real for He is “the way, the truth, and the life.”

There is a mighty urgency to the summons of Jesus in today’s scripture. We need to get busy with the work of Christian witness. Putting Christ’s love into practice is always an unfinished business. It takes constant work. Work to set your own house in order over and over again, and then to work on building up the body of Christ.

Jesus asks for a faith that is active and that keeps watch. “Be on guard,” He tells us, “like men awaiting their master’s return.” He asks for the faith that is up and doing, treating each other with justice and charity, watching out for the Lord’s coming. People of faith not only trust an invisible means of support; they become visible means of support to others as the bearers of good news, and taking good care of each other.

Our daily lives need to reflect the presence of Christ in and around us. That’s the meaning of witness. That is the gift of faith we need to share with one another.

—Fr. Hugh Duffy