Overview of Day 316: Absolute Surrender
Father Mike Schmitz reflects on Luke 9–10 and Proverbs 26:4–6, focusing on what it means to follow Jesus with complete trust. The readings show Jesus sending disciples to proclaim God’s kingdom, teaching that greatness comes through humility and mercy, and warning that anxiety can distract people from listening to God.
Key Events in Luke 9–10
- Jesus sends the Twelve to preach and heal, then feeds a crowd of about five thousand with five loaves and two fish.
- Peter declares Jesus to be the Christ. Jesus foretells his suffering and resurrection and calls his followers to deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow him.
- At the Transfiguration, Moses and Elijah speak with Jesus about the “exodus” he will accomplish in Jerusalem. A voice from the cloud tells the disciples to listen to God’s chosen Son.
- Jesus sends seventy disciples ahead of him to announce that the kingdom of God has come near. He tells them to rejoice most of all that their names are written in heaven.
- In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus teaches that loving one’s neighbor means showing mercy to someone in need.
- When Martha becomes anxious over serving, Jesus commends Mary for sitting and listening to him.
Father Mike’s Reflection on Discipleship
Father Mike explains that denying oneself means more than giving up occasional comforts. It means surrendering one’s claim to one’s life and recognizing Jesus’ claim on one’s time, possessions, comfort, and future. Fasting and penance can help put that surrender into practice.
He also presents Jesus’ “exodus” as the fulfillment of God’s saving work in the Old Testament: through his Passion, death, and resurrection, Jesus leads people out of slavery and death into freedom and life.
Setting Down “the Work Beneath the Work”
Father Mike connects Martha’s anxiety to Jesus’ parable of the seed among thorns, which is choked by life’s cares, riches, and pleasures. The problem is not that Martha is doing something evil, but that worry is crowding out her freedom and joy.
He describes “the work beneath the work” as burdens we add to necessary tasks: worrying about others’ opinions, whether our efforts are good enough, or whether our work defines us. He encourages listeners to set those burdens down and do what needs to be done with greater freedom, love, and joy.
Proverbs 26:4–6 and Daily Takeaways
Proverbs offers two contrasting cautions: don’t answer a fool in a way that makes you foolish too, but sometimes answer so the fool does not mistake foolishness for wisdom. The passage also warns against entrusting important messages to an unreliable person.
The episode’s practical invitation is to surrender more fully to God and notice where anxiety is interfering with attention, service, and joy.