26th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B.
Readings: Num. 11:25-29, Jas. 5:1-6, and Mk. 9:38-43,45,47-48.
“Envy, Jealousy and Wrong Use of Money Lead to All Evils.”
Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
1. A friend of mine once shared an experience of Mr. Cletus, his wife and children that will through some light in the theme of our reflection today. Mr. Cletus, a Nurse, was transferred to a village to a Health Centre. He came with his wife and children. The wife never succeeded to have a friend in the village for other women hardly ever returned her greetings. Their children they noticed, that when they are playing with the neighbor’s children, they would either call their own children home or send Mr. Cletus’ children to their house. At work despite his dedication, the smiling face he put on; all these were never returned at the same rate. On a few occasions, he had talked about it with his wife, and they never understood. One day he overheard a conversation between his neighbor’s wife and her mother who visited. The mother-visitor said that it seems you and your husband are not friendly with your new neighbors. The woman said yes, they are not from among our people; they are from far away. Now, Mr. Cletus understood the reason behind their shabby treatment in the village despite their openness.
2. “They are not from among our people; they are from far away.” In other words, ‘he is not one of us.’ In our first reading the young man had come to report to Moses that two people who were not present at the tent of meeting; were prophesying in the camp. We are told that Joshua, one of the leaders, who had served Moses from his youth stated: “Moses, my lord, stop them.” Moses answered him “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the people of the LORD were prophets! Would that the LORD might bestow his spirit on them all!”
In the gospel text, we meet John, one of the apostles telling Jesus: “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” And Jesus told John that: “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us. Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.”
3. Prior to the first reading today, Moses had complained very bitterly to the Lord, given the hard-heartedness of the people, the undiscipline nature of the people, he said “Was I the one who conceived all these people? Was I? Who gave them birth? I cannot carry the weight of these undisciplined people on my own.” (Num.11:10-15). This was the background upon which God asked Moses to bring the seventy men to receive the Spirit to prophesy, to assist him in his work. This ought to have brought joy and happiness, not pain, and jealousy.
Similarly, John is angry because somebody is helping him to do work that they should have been the ones doing. Get the way he puts it “…he does not follow us” not that “…he does not follow you,” which is like saying that they, not Jesus, are now in charge of judging what is good or not. Chasing away a demon in Jesus’ name, they see it as their own right and anybody who does not follow them, who is not part of their group should not do it. This reminds me of the question of Jesus when he was accused of using the power of Beelzebul, prince of the Devil to cast our evil spirit. Jesus asked the Pharisees by whose power their own experts cast them out. (Matt.12:27). Jesus did not claim the monopoly of driving out demons but pointed out that it is by the power of God he makes things happened.
4. We are thus warned to avoid the attitude of ‘we-they’. This is the attitude that places people in groups: our group, their group. They belong to this group; they do not belong to this group; they are not from among us. Often one hears:
- They are not of our tribe or from among our people (recall the story of Cletus and his family).
- They do not have the same background – not that rich; educated etc.
- They are not of our Religion. (we are Catholics, they are …)
- They are not of the same color/country/origin as us etc.
When these differences are made, then follows shabby treatment and rejection of people. We fail to see people as made in God’s image and likeness.
5. Many lessons we must arrive at from today’s readings:
· As a Community Animator, do not be discouraged by the stubborn nature of the people under your authority despite your relentless effort at leading them, if after self-examination, you are not the cause of their sluggishness to advance. It happened to Moses.
· We must learn to accept the gifts of others, allowing them to put them in use for the good of the entire Community. Some of us are charismatics, some Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist, some Lectors, some the Knights, some Altar Servers etc., why would you think you are superior to the other groups or associations?
· It holds same for Christians as for priests/religious. That I am charismatic-like does not make me feel that I am better priest than Fr. Berngeh who is Legion of Mary-like and vice versa.
· Fanaticism should always be discouraged from among us. A fanatic is a person who attacks anybody who thinks differently or does not belong to the group. It follows that such would not see any good work or ideas from others who are not of their group. It is silly not to copy good things from others because they are not part of us; or, not to recognize a good thing simply because it is from another person or group in which you are not a member.
· God is free to use anybody to get to His people. Who does God listen to better? A catholic or a protestant? A priest or a pastor? Etc. The Spirit is not the private property of the structured Church. The Spirit moves where He wills. He can use anybody. We must open our eyes and acknowledge the good that happen outside of us and praise and thank God for them.
6. I would like to make a comment on the stand of James in the second reading today. St. James seems to have condemned riches and the rich absolutely. The threats for the rich are enormous. Simply put, riches are not bad in themselves. It is the means of getting them; sustaining them; and making use of them that make riches bad. For James it is not about having wealth. It is what we allow wealth to do to us. Failing to detach from money, we become greedy, we worry, we yearn, we covet, and we stress. Instead of “buying us happiness,” it earns us anxiety. When we are anxious about our wealth, we cannot be anxious about doing the will of God. Thus, sin follows. May God help us to love Him more deeply, such that all we do be done for His greater glory and honor, and not ours. To God be the glory and honor forever and ever. Amen.
Fr. Anthony D. Lawir,
Pastor, St. Agnes and Our Lady of Snows Parishes, Pittsfield and Dexter.