Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 137

Reading I

Nm 11:25-29

The LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses.
Taking some of the spirit that was on Moses,
the LORD bestowed it on the seventy elders;
and as the spirit came to rest on them, they prophesied.

Now two men, one named Eldad and the other Medad,
were not in the gathering but had been left in the camp.
They too had been on the list, but had not gone out to the tent;
yet the spirit came to rest on them also,
and they prophesied in the camp.
So, when a young man quickly told Moses,
"Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp, "
Joshua, son of Nun, who from his youth had been Moses’ aide, said,
"Moses, my lord, stop them."
But 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!"

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 19:8, 10, 12-13, 14

R. (9a)    The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
    refreshing the soul;
the decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
    giving wisdom to the simple.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
    enduring forever;
the ordinances of the LORD are true,
    all of them just.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
Though your servant is careful of them,
    very diligent in keeping them,
Yet who can detect failings?
    Cleanse me from my unknown faults!
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
From wanton sin especially, restrain your servant;
    let it not rule over me.
Then shall I be blameless and innocent
    of serious sin. 
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.

Reading II

Jas 5:1-6

Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries.
Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten,
your gold and silver have corroded,
and that corrosion will be a testimony against you;
it will devour your flesh like a fire.
You have stored up treasure for the last days.
Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers
who harvested your fields are crying aloud;
and the cries of the harvesters
have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.
You have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure;
you have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter.
You have condemned;
you have murdered the righteous one;
he offers you no resistance.

Alleluia

Cf. Jn 17:17b, 17a

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Your word, O Lord, is truth;
consecrate us in the truth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mk 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

At that time, John said to Jesus,
"Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name,
and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us."
Jesus replied, "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.

"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,
it would be better for him if a great millstone
were put around his neck
and he were thrown into the sea.
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.
It is better for you to enter into life maimed
than with two hands to go into Gehenna,
into the unquenchable fire.
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off.
It is better for you to enter into life crippled
than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna.
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.
Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye
than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna,
where 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'"

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

The Spirit of the Lord is upon us. This happens when we are open to receive what He is offering to us. This offering is never rescinded but is constantly in place, waiting for a response from us. It is impossible to separate God from any part of His creation. This includes us who are at the pinnacle of His creation. What special gifts and revelations await us when we allow God to do the work He so desperately wants to do. Why this desperation from an all-powerful and everlasting God? This comes from the fact that He knows better and wants to share with us what He knows to bring us back to Him. The beautiful words from The Prophet Hosea ring true: “Come back to me with your whole heart. Don’t let fear keep us apart.” Free will is an important part of the interactions we have with God, so nothing can be forced or done against our will. How we welcome the Spirit and how we participate with God in His creation is entirely up to us and our willingness. The Spirit waits to move us and bring us to God.

The world and what it offers is truly an amazing place. There are bountiful experiences and enjoyment waiting for us. There are also challenges, pain, and pitfalls. All of these are a part of what life is all about. All person’s individual experiences are unique and special. What we go through and how we react to it define and shape us. Through it all we can experience it with God or without Him. It is obvious that being with God is a far more rewarding choice than being separate from Him. As soon as we get out of our own way and stop convincing ourselves that we can do everything on our own without the help of our creator is when we can truly start living.

In the Scripture Reading today God gave the gift of His Spirit to seventy elders so they could assist Moses in teaching and administering to the people. They were ready to enter a relationship with God. Even the ones not present became receptors of God’s gift because they were ready to be receive Him. God has already prepared us for we were created in His image. The final act is to say to God, “Give it to me!” Mere words are not required but a state of preparedness that enables our hearts to cry out to Him, “Here I am Lord!” We are then freed from the bondage of self and are joined with God.

I was spending time with a friend of mine and he was sharing his struggles with alcoholism. His job required him to spend a lot time driving and a lot of time away from his home. When he drank, he would do so while driving throughout the day into the night. This went on for years until he finally surrendered and became sober. It was then that he was open to what God was offering him. He was amazed at the breathtaking scenery that he drove through on a daily basis. The rivers, lakes, mountains, and wildlife shouted out to him, “GOD IS HERE!” A God who was a stranger to him before and one that he found himself way too distant from was now close. He found himself stopping at the side of the road just to experience the beauty of God in the moment and to breath it all in. The Spirit settled upon Him. Same scenery but a different reaction. He exclaimed, “For all these years I passed through certain places not noticing what was there. I was more concerned about where I was going to stop and get my booze. Now I am stopping to witness what God put here. I still cannot believe that it was here the whole time!” What a difference life can be when we embrace the perspective of God!

When we are drawn into the currents of the flesh, we will eventually rot like a carcass laying out in the noon-time sun. The Apostle Paul said, “The world as we know it is currently passing away.” This is the cycle of being in the physical world when the Spirit of God is not let in. Whatever is focused on has an expiration date. Nothing is infinite. What is obtained one day withers and dies the next. Destruction is the only constant. God is above this and when we live in the Spirit, we become above it also. The Letter of James emphasizes this with a dire warning: Earthly things and early desires will exact their toll upon us and eventually devour our flesh. These things lead to death while everything from God leads to life. The Spirit of God equals eternity. There is relief in knowing that we don’t have to act like time is running out if the spiritual is put in the position of the most important thing in our lives. There is no downside when our thoughts and actions are grounded in The Spirit and not in corporal things.

There is proper conduct that comes as a result of being open to The Spirit. Earthy desires and earthly emotions will fade away exchanged for an intimate knowledge of the pleasures that God offers. What we once accepted as normal will then appear to be abnormal; at times even making us feel dirty when these thoughts and action encroach on us. Things that we once thought were important are then treated with indifference, for they have their roots in the physical world and not in God. At the same time, these negative things can often creep back in if we once again close the door to the influences of God.

We have control of our openness and close-mindedness. This can happen consciously and even subconsciously. If we don’t maintain our openness, we can think we are doing the right thing, but we have become backsliders, taking on old habits and ways of doing things. This may come in the form of negative emotions which are created through a negative thought process. This is our own doing and can easily lead to our undoing. We must remind ourselves that only good things come from God. Anything negative is the opposite of God and has its roots in evil. Constant vigilance is the key to build up our defenses against these things. Jesus reminds us in The Gospel of Matthew: “ If you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come back and offer your gift.” In other words, we must constantly work at removing all things negative from our lives so as to continue to receive what God is offering.

John, one of the Sons of Thunder, was bothered by the fact that someone the disciples did not know was casting out demons in Jesus’ name. Someone so close to Jesus and open to The Spirit such as John was still having negative thoughts and emotions. His humanness overcame his spirituality in the form of anger and jealousy. No one is more or less special in the eyes of God. Yes, the disciples were set aside for special service but that didn’t mean that everyone else was excluded and that no one else had received The Gift of the Spirit. It is laughable that someone can believe that they are walking with God while criticizing others who are doing the same. We are all in this together. These venial thoughts have the capability of growing into a much larger problem, thus we have to be continuously on our guard against them. There are more important things to worry about than providing a litmus test as to who is sincere in their beliefs and who is not. God will reveal these things as God will also reveal the weaknesses in us to strengthen us. Other people are going through the same process. It is a good process and one that makes those going through it better men and women.

Being open to The Spirit and reacting to its presence brings us closer to God and to a spiritual perfection that we all are seeking. Some know they are seeking it while others may feel a loss of something that they cannot readily define. Regardless of anyone’s present situation the answer to both conditions is the same: Being open to The Spirit. Preparation and understanding  key. We control the on and off switch. We control how much openness we have. Our hand is the hand that is on the lever which can open the dam and let the water flow down upon us. We can either wait or pull it now. A question: What are you waiting for?

Deacon Tom

 

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 134

Reading I

Wis 2:12, 17-20

The wicked say:
    Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us;
        he sets himself against our doings,
    reproaches us for transgressions of the law
        and charges us with violations of our training.
    Let us see whether his words be true;
        let us find out what will happen to him.
    For if the just one be the son of God, God will defend him
        and deliver him from the hand of his foes.
    With revilement and torture let us put the just one to the test
        that we may have proof of his gentleness
        and try his patience.
    Let us condemn him to a shameful death;
        for according to his own words, God will take care of him.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 54:3-4, 5, 6 and 8

R. (6b)    The Lord upholds my life.
O God, by your name save me,
    and by your might defend my cause.
O God, hear my prayer;
    hearken to the words of my mouth.
R. The Lord upholds my life.
For the haughty have risen up against me,
    the ruthless  seek my life;
    they set not God before their eyes.
R. The Lord upholds my life.
Behold, God is my helper;
    the Lord sustains my life.
Freely will I offer you sacrifice;
    I will praise your name, O LORD, for its goodness.
R. The Lord upholds my life.

Reading II

Jas 3:16—4:3

Beloved:
Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist,
there is disorder and every foul practice. 
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure,
then peaceable, gentle, compliant,
full of mercy and good fruits,
without inconstancy or insincerity. 
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace
for those who cultivate peace.

Where do the wars
and where do the conflicts among you come from? 
Is it not from your passions
that make war within your members? 
You covet but do not possess. 
You kill and envy but you cannot obtain;
you fight and wage war. 
You do not possess because you do not ask. 
You ask but do not receive,
because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

Alleluia

Cf. 2 Thes 2:14

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God has called us through the Gospel
to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mk 9:30-37

Jesus and his disciples left from there and began a journey through Galilee,
but he did not wish anyone to know about it. 
He was teaching his disciples and telling them,
“The Son of Man is to be handed over to men
and they will kill him,
and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise.” 
But they did not understand the saying,
and they were afraid to question him.

They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house,
he began to ask them,
“What were you arguing about on the way?” 
But they remained silent.
They had been discussing among themselves on the way
who was the greatest. 
Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them,
“If anyone wishes to be first,
he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” 
Taking a child, he placed it in their midst,
and putting his arms around it, he said to them,
“Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me;
and whoever receives me,
receives not me but the One who sent me.”

 

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

 

Saint Augustine tells us that, “God chastises every son whom he acknowledges. But the bad shepherd says: “Perhaps I will be exempt.” If he is exempt from the suffering of his chastisements, then he is not numbered among God’s sons. You will say: “Does God indeed punish every son?” Yes, every one, just as he chastised his only Son. This enforces the understanding that as Christians, we are meant to suffer in this world because we are not of this world, but have been claimed by Christ. This suffering can come from difference origins. It can come from God so as to strengthen us and bring us closer to Him or it can come from those within society that seek to do us harm. There are people who hate us because we are Christians. There are people who will wish to do us harm because we are united with Jesus Christ and are against those who align themselves with earthly desires instead of heavenly things. This is nothing new. We should expect these sufferings and should expect that our lives will not be easy.

 

The Book of Wisdom emphasizes this point. The reading from it today delves into the thoughts and motivations of those who align themselves with the world. There is animosity towards us because, as Saint Paul tells us, the flesh and the spirit are incompatible. When someone sins, it is not because he or she doesn’t know better. The definition of sin exposes that truth. Sin is defined as a conscious act against. When a sin is committed, the sinner knows he or she is doing wrong, knows the consequences, and does it anyway. Those who are sorrowful because of their sin seek forgiveness and repentance while those who do not become angry when confronted or exposed. Those who choose anger also show malevolence towards those who do not support their wrongdoings because they know what they are doing is wrong. Instead of changing their ways they feel the need to defeat those who know or are doing better until their way is the only way that remains. Knowingly or unknowingly, they have aligned themselves with Satan and are standing against God.

 

Within the statement, “Let us put the just one to the test,” is an expectation of failure when tested We are the just ones and are aligned with God. The expectation of failure that those who are against us have is a way of convincing themselves that their way is better. They know it is not and this knowledge angers them. This encourages them to try even harder to hurt us, causing them to be more frustrated as a result. The only solace they have is achieved by surrounding themselves with like-minded people who will reenforce their beliefs regardless how illogical and wrong they are. A sinner seeks companionship with another sinner so they can find validation in what they are doing instead of confronting their shortcomings. It is easier to keep doing wrong then to admit faults followed by a commitment to change. God wants us to take the harder route in order to overcome our brokenness; to achieve a higher state of being that brings us closer to Him and ultimately to perfection. There is more to this world than what we see in front of us. It is through living a Christian life that this fact can be discovered. God is just waiting to reveal this to us. Part of that revelation process is through the persecution that we are to undergo by these individuals mentioned.

 

For our part we must show constant vigilance in the face of massive opposition. Society does things a particular way and we do them differently. We do things God’s way which is just not acceptable to those who reject God. The wisdom of God is perfect. When it is followed that which is negative will naturally fade away along with everything else that is rooted in the material. If we are confident in God, then we become confident in ourselves. Being in the positive, that which comes from God, makes us positive and evil takes flight. This does take work on our part, thus there is the presence of constant persecution as evil tries to slither its way back in. In The Book of the Prophet Isaiah, God says, “Upon your walls, O Jerusalem, I have stationed watchmen.” We are the watchmen and are keepers of the faith. We watch over ourselves and our fellow Christians to ensure that we are safe. Keeping us safe and free from all evil makes it possible to realize The Kingdom of God. Every moment that we fulfill our duties to God means that we grow stronger and more aware of His presence. This enables us to live a better life and enter The God experience which is The Kingdom of God.

 

At least twice in The Gospel of Mark Jesus compares us to children. The innocence, love, and trust that each child manifests are how we are to approach God. The dirt of the world and the stink of sin must be washed off while that which does not come from God needs to be refused. All that is negative comes from us and does not have its origin from Him in any way. We truly must get back to our roots and act like children: innocent, trusting, and loving with no evil intent; no evil desire. Accepting those who are trying to do that are to be embraced and encouraged. Treating our fellow brothers and sisters the way we treat a child, with that same tenderness and love, brings us into the Realm of the Spirit and in close contact with God. To those who do not act accordingly are still treated that way as an example for them to follow but with caution, for we may fall victim to malfeasance. Love all and treat all accordingly. Being like a children does expose us to many dangers and many tests but that is the way to achieve what God wants us to achieve.

 

Even Jesus’ disciples bickered amongst themselves and were victim of worldly thoughts and actions. We are all works in progress. Each interaction and situation will bring about fresh challenges. They will also bring forth opportunities. Success and failure can both be used as advantages in these circumstances. Success brings about validation. Failure brings about an understanding of where we need to improve ourselves. We should be open for instruction and correction to make ourselves better. The alternative is to keep getting angry; self-justifying our actions while not getting any better. God wants us to learn from our mistakes and be the best we can be. With His guidance we can achieve this.

 

Deacon Tom