Saint Pius of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio), Priest — Memorial
First Reading
Proverbs 30:5–9
Every word of God is unalloyed,
he is the shield of those who take refuge in him.
To his words make no addition,
lest he reprove you and know you for a fraud.
Two things I beg of you,
do not grudge me them before I die:
keep falsehood and lies far from me,
give me neither poverty nor riches,
grant me only my share of bread to eat,
for fear that surrounded by plenty, I should fall away
and say, ‘the Lord – who is the Lord?’
or else, in destitution, take to stealing
and profane the name of my God.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 118(119):28,72,89,101,104,163
Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.
My soul pines away with grief;
by your word raise me up.
The law from your mouth means more to me
than silver and gold.
Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.
Your word, O Lord, for ever
stands firm in the heavens:
I turn my feet from evil paths
to obey your word.
Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.
I gain understanding from your precepts
and so I hate false ways.
Lies I hate and detest
but your law is my love.
Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia!
The kingdom of God is near:
repent and believe the Good News!
Alleluia!
Gospel
Luke 9:1–6
Jesus called the Twelve together and gave them power and authority over all devils and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. He said to them, ‘Take nothing for the journey: neither staff, nor haversack, nor bread, nor money; and let none of you take a spare tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there; and when you leave, let it be from there. As for those who do not welcome you, when you leave their town shake the dust from your feet as a sign to them.’ So they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the Good News and healing everywhere.
Reflection
The prayer in Proverbs is remarkable for its balance: “Give me neither poverty nor riches, grant me only my share of bread to eat.” It does not romanticise either deprivation or abundance. Poverty can exert pressures that lead a person towards desperation, while wealth can create the illusion that God is unnecessary. The prayer asks instead for enough—and for the freedom to receive that enough truthfully.
Before asking for daily bread, the writer asks that falsehood and lies be kept far away. Truth and simplicity belong together. A life built on deception requires constant management: appearances must be protected, stories maintained and possessions used to support an identity that may not be real. God’s word is “unalloyed”—pure, dependable and free from such distortion.
The psalm continues this love of truth. God’s law is valued above silver and gold because it offers something wealth cannot provide: a trustworthy path. When grief weakens the heart, the word raises it. When evil paths tempt the feet, the word redirects them. When falsehood creates confusion, God’s precepts restore understanding.
The Catechism teaches that Sacred Scripture gives support and vigour to the Church and remains a source of strength, nourishment and spiritual life for the faithful (CCC 131–133). God’s word is therefore more than information to be studied. It becomes light for decisions, correction for desires and strength for the journey.
In the Gospel, Jesus sends the Twelve to proclaim the kingdom and to heal. He gives them real authority, but very little material security. They are to take no staff, bag, bread, money or spare tunic. Their mission must not appear to depend upon resources, status or careful self-protection. They are to rely upon the One who sends them and receive the hospitality offered along the way.
This poverty is not an end in itself. It creates freedom for the mission. The disciples are not burdened by possessions they must guard or by elaborate arrangements they must maintain. Their lack becomes a visible sign that the kingdom is God’s work before it is theirs.
The Church speaks of evangelical poverty as a call to entrust ourselves to the providence of the Father and to seek the kingdom without becoming enslaved to possessions (CCC 2544–2547). Not every Christian is called to the same material simplicity, but every disciple must examine what has become indispensable to feeling secure.
Saint Pius of Pietrelcina understood that ministry does not flow merely from human competence. His life of prayer, sacrifice and service directed people towards the mercy of Christ rather than towards himself. Like the Twelve, he was entrusted with helping wounded people encounter the healing presence of God.
Jesus also prepares the apostles for rejection. They are to proclaim faithfully, but they cannot force acceptance. Shaking the dust from their feet means entrusting the result to God and continuing the mission. This is another form of poverty: surrendering the need to control how others respond.
These readings ask what we truly require in order to obey Christ. We often delay the next faithful step because we do not feel adequately prepared, resourced or secure. Yet Jesus does not promise the Twelve complete control over the journey. He gives them his authority, his message and one another.
Christian simplicity is not carelessness. It is the freedom to distinguish what is genuinely needed from what merely makes us feel protected. God may not place the entire journey in our hands, but his word remains firm, his grace is sufficient and the next step is usually already before us.
One line to carry today:
God does not always give us everything for the journey; he gives us enough to take the next faithful step.
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