February 5, 2026 // Memorial of Saint Agatha, Virgin and Martyr
Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Mark 6:7-13
Reflect on the Word //
I was stunned by the size of the pile growing on the floor of my closet. Give away. I tossed another pair of pants into the heap. Never gonna fit into those again. Disappointed with myself, I wondered what had made me buy these clothes—many of them multiples, most barely worn. I had to do a major clean-out. Turns out, I also needed to root some things out of my heart.
In the Gospel today (see Mark 6:7-13), Jesus instructs His disciples to go out on their first mission trip without even a second tunic. They are to trust in God’s providence, travel lightly and swiftly, and carry the Gospel, not extra baggage. It was a practical decision, yes, but also a spiritual one. These were the men taught to pray for “daily bread.” Not just in case. Not one for the road. Only enough for today.
I say that prayer—the Our Father— daily too.
But somehow I’m still in the habit of hoarding away extras, afraid of a tomorrow of not enough. If I’m honest, there’s a trace of fear in my wallet, my closet, my refrigerator. I pray for daily bread, but I squirrel away a little more just in case God doesn’t come through. Maybe not consciously, but how else can I explain the excess?
Sometimes the daily bread is in abundance; sometimes it is just enough to get me to tomorrow. But it has never failed to arrive like His mercy, new and freshly baked every morning. If I can unclench my grasp of yesterday’s stale crumbs, I can pull up a seat at the breakfast table.
Likely, sister, you have known moments of fear that there will not be enough. And maybe you really have known cold, hunger, loneliness. There are very real moments in life that test our trust. But you are here now, proof that He has always come through. So see the invitation in today’s Gospel: Take only one tunic and trust Him with the rest.
Relate to the Lord // What have you been hoarding—just in case? Today share your heart with the Lord and your excess with others.
Claire Dwyer writes with the desire that all women see the sacredness of their stories in light of Salvation History. Speaker, Retreat Leader, Author of This Present Paradise, senior copywriter and content editor for Avila Foundation / Spiritualdirection.com, and co-founder of the PraiseWriters community, she knows firsthand the power of words to set a fire on the earth. She lives in Phoenix with her family. Find out more about her here.
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