In this Gospel reading, Jesus says two very different things.  At first he makes us responsible for being as clever as snakes and as innocent as sheep as we make our way in the world; we must be on our guard in respect to others.  In all of this we are to take charge and be in control of ourselves, yet only a few verses later he asks us to put ourselves in the hands of the Spirit.

I don't think that there is a conflict here.  Just as we do not save ourselves without God's help, God does not save us without our cooperation and openness.  Our being very present to our lives, seeing the blessings and the harder times, knowing that God, the Teacher, is always with us to challenge and instruct, to guide and to call us further – it is all grace, all cause for thanksgiving and praise, whether we can see it at the time or not.

In the end, our lives are all about living the great virtue of hope in a love filled with faith.  Let us walk with God today as best we can, our hands in the hand of our loving Father, as the Three teach us to be human in the best way and thus to grow into the children They seek us to become.