28.9.03 Sunday 26th Ordinary Season
First Reading: Numbers 11,25-29
Psalm 18
Second Reading: James 5,1-6
Gospel: Mark 9,38-43. 45. 47-48
Jesus continues to teach his disciples. He does not teach notions, but rather a way of life, and how to connect with him, the Son of God, the way, the truth and the life! Even when a disciple receives a special gift from the Lord, he should not feel that he has been invested exclusively or feel jealous. It is always Jesus who acts through the words of the disciple! And He is free to act in different ways even through the faith of other people. Jesus' disciples should not allow either jealousy or pride to take root within themselves: they should always be happy that the Spirit of their Lord spreads and acts throughout the world, bringing all to Him, even through the work of other people. Today we could tell the story in the gospel as follows; when a Christian calls on the name of Jesus and the miracle he asks for is granted, he will sing praise and glory to the Lord even if it all happens outside the confines of the Church! The person who matures a relationship of faith in Him becomes His friend and becomes a friend of Christians, a brother to those who already believe, even if he is not part of the Church! Jesus is the only "judge" for everyone, the only point of reference. Indirectly this is an invitation, on behalf of the Lord to continuously revise and renew our relationship with Him, not to be too sure of ourselves, to overcome the temptation of pride which tends to blossom in the hearts of seasoned believers!
The episode in the first reading shows how Moses reacts to the jealousy of Joshua. The disciple was jealous of the fact that there were two men prophesying in an unusual place, which was against the rules. Moses invited Joshua to let God be free to intervene when, how and where He wished and to recognise the deed with gratitude! And Jesus says the same to John. Jesus continues: whoever is not against us is for us! It is wonderfully consoling to hear Jesus say"us"! He knows that He is the head of the Church, that He is one with the Church! Whoever does not fight it is her friend. Jesus knows there is no compromise, no indifference: all men are either for Him or against Him, and also in respect to the Church. Whoever is against the Head is also against the Body, and whoever is against the Body, that is, the Church, is against her Head, which is Christ! St Paul makes this reference when telling of his conversion: he heard: "why are you persecuting me?" And to his question: "who are you, Lord?", he was answered "I am that Jesus whom you are persecuting!" He was, in truth, persecuting Christians! Hence, whoever commits an act of love towards a believer, simply because he belongs to Jesus, this act is received by the Lord as if it were done for Him.
The third teaching of the Lord is in connection with scandal. Scandal is an obstacle along the road which blocks the way. Scandal is all that might discourage a person who is not yet fully mature or sure of themselves, from adhering to the Lord Jesus, from listening to His word, from living his teachings. Scandal can, therefore, be simply a sentence expressing doubt, a sarcastic laugh at the choice of faith, a criticism against the authority of the Church, neglecting to go to Sunday mass, laughing at a blasphemous joke … and so on. These "little" actions, for the weak in faith are a greater obstacle than some more serious crime, that everybody can see is serious.
Jesus wishes us to help each other in our walk towards Him, our only Saviour! He draws our attention to our behaviour with strong language. Our own actions could be an obstacle to our walk of faith. "If your hand, your foot, your eye offend you, cut them off"! No saint has ever cut off his hand! But our brothers in faith have changed their jobs (their hands), have avoided places and company (their feet), have thrown away books, pictures, shows (their eyes) when these have been detrimental to their faith!
Great attention must be paid, in particular, to riches, as St James reminds
us: these, with their particular force of attraction, can become a serious obstacle
both to the faith and to the charity of the believer, and can prevent them testifying
for the Lord Jesus! Our attention must be for men and women, for the poor and
needy, so that our hearts do not lose sight of the greatest treasure, which
is always the Lord Jesus Christ, whose heart opens for "the little ones"
of all the world!