Daily Word: Matthew 10:7-15 – Freely Give, Like St. Pauline | Thursday, July 9
Jesus sends the Twelve with a stark command: give without cost. A 4-minute reflection on detachment, humility, and trusting Providence, inspired by St. Pauline of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus.
DAILY WORD
spwworship
7/9/20264 min read
Scripture Reference: Matthew 10:7-15 (Thursday of the 14th Week in Ordinary Time – Memorial of St. Pauline of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus)
“Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.” (Matthew 10:8)
Jesus continues to instruct the Twelve as He sends them on their first mission. The message is clear: “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” The mission is urgent: heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. And the method is radical: “Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts; no sack for the journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or staff.”
Why? Because the disciples are not salesmen; they are witnesses. They have received everything freely — grace, forgiveness, healing, the very presence of God — and they must give it freely. Their poverty is not a lack; it is a statement. It says to the world: “This is not about us. This is about the Kingdom.”
The disciples are to trust entirely in Providence. They are not to worry about provisions, safety, or success. Their only currency is peace. “When you enter a house, greet it. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it.” If rejected, they are not to take it personally. They are simply to shake the dust from their feet and move on.
The Command: Give Freely
The heart of today's Gospel is the command to give without cost. Grace is not a commodity. Salvation is not a transaction. The disciples have received everything from Jesus; they must offer everything without charge.
This is the pattern of all authentic Christian life. You cannot earn God's love; you receive it. And once you have received it, you cannot hoard it. It must flow outward — to the sick, the broken, the lost, the poor.
The command to give freely is also a command to trust. If the disciples are not to carry money or extra clothing, they must rely on God and on the generosity of others. This is not a life of comfort; it is a life of radical dependence. But it is also a life of radical freedom.
The First Brazilian Saint: Mother Pauline
Today the Church honors Saint Pauline of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus, the first Brazilian saint. Born Amabile Lucia Visintainer on December 16, 1865, in Vigolo Vattaro, Italy, she emigrated to Brazil with her family at the age of ten, settling in Nova Trento, Santa Catarina.
From a young age, Pauline was devoted to God. With little education, she gave God what she had: her love, her time, and her willingness to serve. In July 1890, she and a friend took in a woman dying of cancer, caring for her in a small hut. This act of mercy marked the founding of the Congregation of the Little Sisters of the Immaculate Conception — the first female religious congregation founded in Brazil.
Pauline's life was a living commentary on today's Gospel. She gave freely without counting the cost. She left her home, her security, and her comfort to care for the poor, the sick, orphans, and the elderly. In 1909, she was humbly removed from her position as superior general and sent to serve in obscurity. She accepted her cross without complaint, trusting in Providence. She lived the poverty Jesus commands — not as an ideal, but as daily reality.
Later in life, St. Pauline suffered from diabetes, losing her sight and her right arm. She offered up her suffering in union with the Agonizing Heart of Jesus, whose name she bore. She died on July 9, 1942 and was canonized by Pope John Paul II on May 19, 2002.
The Connection: Poverty, Trust, and Giving Freely
St. Pauline embodies the spirit of today's Gospel:
She gave freely. She received grace and poured it out in service to the poorest of the poor. She did not charge for her care. She did not seek recognition.
She trusted Providence. When she was humiliated and removed from leadership, she did not fight or defend herself. She knelt, accepted, and continued serving.
She lived without security. She left her homeland, her family, and her comfort to follow Christ. She carried no gold or silver — only the love of Jesus.
Her life echoes the words of Jesus: “Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”
What This Means for Your Thursday
Today, Jesus asks you the same question He asked the Twelve: Will you trust me enough to give freely?
What have you received freely? Forgiveness? Mercy? The Eucharist? The love of family? The gift of faith?
Are you giving it freely? Or are you hoarding it, charging for it, expecting something in return?
What are you holding onto? Money, reputation, comfort, control? Jesus is asking you to let it go — not because these things are evil, but because they can become obstacles to trust.
You may not be called to leave your home or to live in radical poverty. But you are called to live with open hands — to give without counting, to forgive without conditions, to serve without expecting gratitude.
St. Pauline lived this way. She trusted in Providence even when she did not understand. She gave freely even when she had nothing left. And she became a saint.
A Short Prayer
Lord Jesus, You sent Your disciples with empty hands and full hearts. Give me the courage of St. Pauline of the Agonizing Heart — to trust in Your Providence, to give without counting the cost, and to serve even when I am humbled. Help me to live as one who has received freely and must give freely. Let my peace be a blessing to those I meet, and let me shake off rejection without bitterness. I trust in You. Amen.
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