no! no! no!
“Provide yourselves with neither gold nor silver nor copper in your belts; no traveling bag, no change of shirt, no sandals, no walking staff.” —Matthew 10:9-10
When we serve the Lord, we often feel inadequate. We think we’re making mistakes and feel the Lord is just shaking His head, saying: “No, not that. No, not now. No, not here. No! No! No!” As a matter of fact, the Lord is saying “No! No! No!” as we minister in His name, but He’s not saying: “No, you’re doing it wrong.” Rather, He’s saying: “No gold, no silver, no copper, ‘no traveling bag, no change of shirt, no sandals, no walking staff,’ no accommodations, and no security other than in Me.” The Lord wants to unburden us for ministry. He wants to simplify and streamline our lives. To minister in His name, we don’t need more but less — less possessions, less control, and less bright ideas.
The Lord is sending us out to minister, and He is saying: “No sin; repent! No divisions; forgive! No doubts; believe! No fears; trust! No self-deception; speak the truth! No compromise; love Me with all your hearts!” (see Mt 22:37)
The Lord is sending us out to minister, and He is saying: “Yes, I love you perfectly, infinitely, and eternally. Yes, ‘I am with you always’ (Mt 28:20). Yes, I will always forgive you. Yes, I will come back to take you with Me to be perfectly happy forever in heaven.” Because we believe the “Yes” of Jesus, we believe His “No.”
Prayer: Father, may You be my only security.
Promise: “I drew them with human cords, with bands of love; I fostered them like one who raises an infant to his cheeks.” —Hos 11:4
Praise: After his executioners cut off his right arm, 18-year-old Chi Zhuzi, a companion of St. Augustine Zhao Rong, declared to them: “Every piece of my flesh, every drop of my blood will tell you that I am Christian.”
Reference:
Rescript: "In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat for the publication One Bread, One Body covering the time period from June 1, 2026, through July 31, 2026. Reverend Steve J. Angi, Chancellor, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio November 12, 2025"
The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.