Tuesday, September 25, 2012

25th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 26-09-12

Proverbs 30:5-9 / Luke 9:1-6

The most basic of human needs are the physiological needs. They are the literal requirements for human survival. If these requirements are not met, the human body simply cannot continue to function.

Hence the most obvious need is food, followed by other necessities for survival.

The 1st reading may not be talking about the hierarchy of needs but the writer certainly knows what he wants especially when he comes to the end of his days.

He said, "Two things I beg of you, do not grudge me them before I die : keep falsehood and lies far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches, grant me only my share of bread to eat ..."

In other words all he wanted is that he will have peace of heart by always living in the truth and that he will have sufficient food to keep him alive for the day.

And as we think deeper about it, isn't that what is really necessary at the most essential level? Because the rest are just accessories and we can actually go on without them.

In the gospel Jesus is even more ascetic as He sends out His disciples just as they were. Can we really believe this?

Or do we think that it's really not practical and that could not have happened in reality. Maybe the gospel is embellishing things quite a bit.

But if we truly believe that God will provide, then we will believe the gospel passage literally as it is.

And if we truly believe that God will provide, then we will also live our lives truthfully and then come to realize that we can actually do away with the many "accessories" of life and live life simply and freely.