I DON’T HAVE MUCH BUT I HAVE HIM

July 10, 2025 Thursday within the 14th week in Ordinary Time Year C Mt 10:7-15 There’s a peculiar joy in being sent with nothing but faith. Jesus told His disciples to carry no gold, no bag, not even a second tunic — just the message that “the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” When I think about it, it almost feels reckless by worldly standards. Yet, I’ve come to realize that there’s deep freedom in this kind of trust. Ministry has taught me that I don’t need to have everything figured out before I go. What matters most is that I have a willing heart — a heart that says, “Yes, Lord, send me,” even when my hands feel empty. I’m called to go, even without a map. In my weakness, He walks with me. There have been many days when I walked into people’s lives — into hospitals, homes, or confessionals — with no plan, no prepared speech, just the quiet hope that God would use me. And every time, He does. I’ve seen tears turn into healing, silence turn into peace, and burdens lifted by nothing more than a listening presence and a whispered blessing. The joy I carry in those moments doesn’t come from being perfect or prepared — it comes from knowing that even my weakness can become an open door for grace. That’s the beauty of the Gospel: it doesn’t rely on our strength, only our surrender. Jesus also said that if we’re not welcomed, we can shake the dust from our feet and move on in peace. That, too, is liberating. I’m not called to carry rejection, only the message. I can go forward joyfully, knowing that God uses even the smallest “yes” to build His Kingdom. So I continue to go — often with empty hands, but always with a heart ready to love, to serve, and to be surprised by how powerfully He moves through simplicity. And that, for me, is one of the greatest joys of the priesthood. Blessings Fr. Jhack