Take Nothing but a Staff
What a challenging message in this week’s Gospel narrative Mark 6: 7:13. ‘He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a staff - no bread, no sack, no money in their belts. They were to wear sandals but not a second tunic.’ This is a call to radical simplicity.
Yet, this is the call that resonated with the poor in the Galilee region, and later to the thousands of the disenfranchised in the Roman empire, in the first 250 years, who possessed nothing but sandals and one tunic. This is the call that resonated with the ‘Desert Fathers’ in the early third century, who following the call devoted themselves to a life of poverty, service, and self-denial in the deserts of Egypt.
This is the call that resonated with the well to do, St Benedict, who left the family wealth to found monasteries that would lead to the development of Europe. And with St Francis, in the Late Dark Age, to also leave his family wealth to found the ‘Little Brothers’, the friars, that would transform the growing Church.
For us today, this call to radical simplicity challenges our modern lives, so often defined by material possessions and distractions. It invites us to reflect on what we truly need for our own journeys and to consider how we might strip away the excess to focus on what is essential.
In a world where accumulation is often equated with success, embracing simplicity can lead to a deeper, more meaningful existence, aligning us more closely with the teachings of Jesus and the examples of those who have faithfully walked this path before us.
For St. Benedict and St. Francis, this call to simplicity brought them not just a reduction in material possessions, but a profound sense of joy and fulfillment. They found that by relinquishing the pursuit of wealth and comfort, they gained something far more valuable: a deep connection to their faith and a life of purpose. St. Benedict’s establishment of monasteries became centers of learning, hospitality, and community, while St. Francis’s founding of the ‘Little Brothers’ inspired countless others to live lives of humility and service.
Often, we find ourselves trapped in a cycle of "when-then" thinking: "When I get this promotion, then I will have time to volunteer." "When I buy this house, then I will be able to donate more." "When I retire, then I will engage more with my community." This mindset keeps pushing the goal further away, making it difficult to ever feel ready to answer the call to service and simplicity. Time, however, does not wait for us to feel ready; it marches on relentlessly, and opportunities to serve and connect can slip away while we chase after the next thing.
The message of the Gospel passage reminds us that we already have enough. This radical call to rely on God’s providence and the kindness of others teaches us that we do not need to accumulate more to begin our ministry or to live out our faith. We have what we need right now.
By embracing this truth, we can break free from the endless cycle of acquiring and start living a life of service and simplicity today. We can find joy in the act of giving, in the moments of connection, and in the experience of trusting that we have enough. St. Benedict and St. Francis showed us that true joy comes not from having more, but from needing less and giving more of ourselves. Their lives stand as a testament to the freedom and happiness that come with living simply and with purpose.