SEPTEMBER 27, 2015 : TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME year B

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 137

Reading 1NM 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 PsalmPS 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 2JAS 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.

AlleluiaCF. JN 17:17B, 17A

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

GospelMK 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.'"

www.usccb.org

 26^th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle B

Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.

1^st Reading - Numbers 11:25-29

The book of Numbers is a narrative account running from the 2^nd year after the Israelites left Egypt up to almost the end of Moses’ life: a total of about 39 years’ wandering in the wilderness. It takes its name in the Hebrew Bible from bammidbar (which means “in the wilderness”). The Greek translation (the Septuagint) however, calls it “Numbers,” and the Latin follows suit. The title “Numbers” is really less than satisfactory, because the counting of the people doesn’t take up much of the book. The book is really a history of the main events of the wanderings in the desert.

The book begins with God’s express command to Moses to make a census of the people (thus, Numbers). The effect of this census shows that God has indeed kept His promise to Abraham (Genesis 22:17) “I will indeed bless you, and I will make your descendents as countless as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore: your descendents shall take possession of the gates of their enemies”. The 70 member family of Jacob which had entered Egypt, now, some 450 years later, numbers around 600,000.

The Book of Numbers divides into 3 parts: 

1)  In Sinai (chapters 1-9); 

2)  The Journey Through the Wilderness (chapters 10-21); and  3) On the Plains of Moab (chapters 22-36). 

Today’s reading comes from the account of the journey through the wilderness. About 11 months after they arrived at Sinai, the Israelites broke camp and set out on their journey to the promised land, carrying the Ark of the Covenant and the Tabernacle (a tent) and the associated ritual vessels and vestments. As usual, some of the voyagers are grumbling about the food. Moses becomes frustrated and talks with God about it: “‘Why do you treat your servant so badly?’ Moses asked the LORD. ‘Why are you so displeased with me that you burden me with all this people? Was it I who conceived all this people? or was it I who gave them birth, that you tell me to carry them at my bosom, like a foster father carrying an infant, to the land you have promised under oath to their fathers? Where can I get meat to give to all this people? For they are crying to me, ‘Give us meat for our food.’ I cannot carry all this people by myself, for they are too heavy for me. If this is the way you will deal with me, then please do me the favor of killing me at once, so that I need no longer face this distress’” (Numbers 11:11-15). God told Moses to gather 70 elders and that He would spread the burden of the people among them so Moses would only have to bear a portion. Moses gathered the 70 around the meeting tent. 

²⁵                                    The LORD then came down in the cloud and spoke to him. Taking some of the spirit that was on Moses, he bestowed it on the seventy elders; and as the spirit came to rest on them, they prophesied. 

This is understood as an ecstatic or charismatic phenomenon (1 Samuel 10:10-13; 19:20-24) rather than becoming prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, etc.

²⁶                                    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;

The tent was located outside the camp.

yet the spirit came to rest on them also, and they prophesied in the camp. ²⁷ So, when a young man quickly told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp,” ²⁸ Joshua, son of Nun, who from his youth had been Moses’ aide, said, “Moses, my lord, stop them.” ²⁹ 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!”  

The acknowledgment of Eldad’s (his name means “whom God has loved”) and Medad’s (his name means “love”) prophetic charism, over the objections of Joshua, serves to protect the independence of the prophetic gift from those who would subject it to institutional control. Note the parallel with Luke 10:1ff where seventy are commissioned to act as an advance party for Jesus’ arrival as He traveled.

2^nd Reading - James 5:1-6

This week we complete our study of the Epistle of James in this cycle. In fact, the Sunday readings won’t contain James again until the 3^rd Sunday of Advent in Cycle A. The main purpose of this epistle is the teaching of morality and self-discipline. The sacred writer speaks with great severity, not mincing his words, in order to make people see that actions of the kind he condemns are incompatible with the profession of the Christian faith.

In today’s reading the author again criticizes the sins the well-to-do. He reproves their pride, vanity and greed and their pleasure seeking; warning them that the judgment of God is near at hand.

People who are well-to-do should use their resources in the service of others. In this connection, the Church teaches that “They have a moral obligation not to keep capital unproductive and, in making investments, to think first of the common good. ... The right to private property is inconceivable without responsibilities to the common good. It is subordinated to the higher principle which states that goods are meant for all” [Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith (22 March 1986), Libertatis conscientia, 87].

^5:1 Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries. 

“But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation” (Luke 6:24).

²    Your wealth has rotted away, 

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:19).

your clothes have become moth-eaten,

Fine clothing was the principal form of wealth in antiquity. Greed is one of the seven deadly sins. A greedy person offends against justice and charity and becomes insensitive to the needs of his neighbor.

³    your gold and silver have corroded, 

Although gold doesn’t corrode (rust, tarnish), this indicates the basis worthlessness. “Spend your money for brother and friend, and hide it not under a stone to perish” (Sirach 29:10).

and that corrosion will be a testimony against you; it will devour your flesh like a fire. 

This is possibly an allusion to fuel for the fire of judgment in 1 Corinthians 3:12-15; Hebrews 12:29.

You have stored up treasure for the last days. 

A reference to the Day of Judgment. Can also be translated “You have laid up treasure in the last days” which is consistent with the thought that the coming of the Messiah signaled the beginning of the end times and judgment was near at hand. A belief which became fact for the Jews in A.D. 70.

⁴                                          Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers who harvested your fields are crying aloud,

Cheating workers of their earnings was already condemned in the Old Testament (Leviticus 19:13; Deuteronomy 24:14-15; Malachi 3:5). It is one of the sins which “cries out to heaven” for immediate, exemplary punishment; the same applies to murder (Genesis 4:10), sodomy (Genesis 18:20-21), and oppression of widows and orphans (Exodus 22:22-24)

and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 

“Lord of Hosts” is a common Old Testament name for God (Isaiah 5:9).

⁵                                          You have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure; you have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter. 

Again, a reference to the Day of Judgment (Jeremiah 12:3)

⁶                                          You have condemned; you have murdered the righteous one; he offers you no resistance.

Saint James may be alluding to Sirach 34:22 “He slays his neighbor who deprives him of his living: he sheds blood who denies the laborer his”. This may also allude to Wisdom 2 and 3 where the godless plot the destruction of the righteous poor man (especially Wisdom 3:3-5:16).

Comment: Since we are leaving the Epistle of James as our second reading, a few words of closing are in order. The central teaching of this letter is the consistency between faith and works. This teaching was accepted unquestionably up to the time of the Protestant Revolt, when this text was seen as an insurmountable obstacle for the theory of justification by faith alone. From that point onward, in Protestant circles, the claim is made that James was written as a correction to what St. Paul says in Romans 3:20-31 and Galatians 2:16; 3:2,5,11. Let’s compare what Romans 3:28 and James 2:24 say: 

(Romans 3:28) “For we consider that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law.”

(James 2:24) “See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.”

Although the terms used (“faith” and “works”) are identical in these two verses, the perspective is different and there is no contradiction or correction necessary. For Saint James, “works” are acts of morally correct behavior. For Saint Paul, “works” are the legal works of the old law (circumcision, ritual washing, animal sacrifice, etc.) all of which were burdensome, and/or costly, and ineffective. They no longer have validity because Jesus has instituted the New Law (Covenant) to fulfill the old one. Saint Paul says in Galatians 5:6 that faith works through love and Saint James says that we must live out that faith because of the love.

The Catholic Christian does not do “good works” because he is compelled to do them, but because he is impelled by the Holy Spirit to do them. The doing of “good works” does not earn a place in heaven, heaven is only open to those who live the life of Christ in its fullness. Works done grudgingly or with the intent of “earning” salvation are ineffectual. 

Gospel - Mark 9:38-43,45,47-48

The 24^th Sunday in Ordinary Time (2 weeks ago) Gospel reading contained the first of three instructions to the apostles: “If you are to be a follower of Jesus you must deny yourself, take up your cross and follow in His footsteps.”

Last week we heard the second instruction: “If you wish to be a leader, you must remain humble and be the servant of all.”

This week we continue with this second instruction.

³⁸    John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, 

This ties back to the preceding verse which we heard last week when Jesus said “receives one child such as this in my name” – this person is acting as Jesus’ emissary.

and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” 

This incident addresses a problem that arose in the early Church (Acts 19:13): What do you do when non-disciples cast out demons in His name? Note the parallel with Eldad and Medad in our first reading.

³⁹    Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him. 

Jesus’ tolerant attitude is based on the idea that if they recognized His power, and acted as His representative, they would be slow to speak ill of Him (1 Corinthians 12:3).

“Some who are intent on severe disciplinary principles which admonish us to rebuke the restless, not to give what is holy to dogs (Matthew 7:6; 15:26; Mark 7:27), to consider a despiser of the Church as a heathen, to cut off from the unified structure of the body the member which causes scandal (Matthew 5:30; 18:8-9; Mark 9:42-48), so disturb the peace of the Church that they try to separate the wheat from the chaff before the proper time (Matthew 13:29-30). Blinded by this error, they are themselves separated instead from the unity of Christ” [Saint Augustine of Hippo (A.D. 413), Faith and Works, 4,6].

There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. ⁴⁰ For whoever is not against us is for us. 

This is a generalization, in proverb form, of the teaching in the preceding sentence (see also Matthew 12:30). Through these three verses Our Lord warns the apostles, and through them all Christians, against exclusivism: the notion that “good is not good unless I am the one who does it” (see also Philippians 1:15-18).

⁴¹    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. 

Note that here the situation of the previous verses is reversed: now someone is doing a kindness to the disciples because they recognize that they are Jesus’ emissaries. Note the parallel with welcoming a child for His sake in last week’s gospel (verse 37).

⁴²    “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, 

This is the catchword for the remainder of this reading. The “little ones” may well refer to members of the community of the disciples; just like the little child of verse 36.

it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. ⁴³ 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.

According to 2 Kings 23:10, the Hinnom valley (the Hebrew is ge Hinnom) had been used as a place for child sacrifice to Molech (see Jeremiah 7:31; 19:5-6). Although the term Gehenna originally described the valley to the southwest of Jerusalem which, because of its defilement, became a garbage dump with continually burning fires, it came to be synonymous with the place of torment for the wicked (2 Esdras 7:36; Enoch 27:2; 90:24-26). This is not sheol/hades/purgatory; the place of the dead/Abraham’s bosom.

Verses 44 and 46 do not appear in the New Revised Standard Version, Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version or Good News Bible. They do appear in the King James and New King James Versions and are identical to verse 48: “Where the worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched”. The reason for the difference in translations is that these verses are not in the best ancient manuscripts and are thought to be scribal additions for reasons of symmetry.

⁴⁵ And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. ^46 47 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, 

The structure of the sayings is the same in verses 43, 45 and 47. If one part of the body causes you to sin, cut it off in order that you may enter life/the kingdom and avoid Gehenna. This is a communal metaphor and serves to exclude members of the Church, the Body of Christ, who give offense. It is not a literal saying as the hand/foot/eye is not the cause of sin; weakness of will is.

⁴⁸ where ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’

Jesus’ words are based on Isaiah 66:24 where Gehenna with its filth and smoldering fires is described. The child sacrifice in the valley of the son of Hinnom was instituted by King Ahaz. This institution is described in 2 Chronicles 28:1-3. Often “their worm does not die” is explained as the eternal remorse felt by those in hell; and “the fire is never extinguished” as their physical pain. At any rate, the punishment in question is terrible and unending.

“This is no trivial subject of inquiry that we propose, but rather it concerns things most urgent, and about which many inquire: namely, whether hell fire has any end. For that it has no end Christ indeed declared when He said, ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched’. Yes, I know a chill comes over you on hearing these things. But what am I to do? For this is God’s own command. ... Ordained as we have been to the ministry of the word, we must cause our hearers discomfort when it is necessary for them to hear. We do this not arbitrarily but under command” [Saint John Chrysostom (ca. A.D. 392), Homilies on the First Epistle to the Corinthians, 9,1].

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Meditation: "Any one who does a mighty work in my name"

Do you rejoice in the good that others do? Jesus reprimands his disciples for their jealousy and suspicion. They were upset that someone who was not of their company was performing a good work in the name of Jesus. They even "forbade" the man "because he was not following us." Jesus' reply is filled with wisdom: "No one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me." Are we not like the disciples when we get upset at the good deeds of others who seem to shine more than us? Paul says that "love is not jealous... but rejoices in the right" (1 Corinthians 13:4,6).

Envy and jealousy must be rooted out of our hearts
Envy and jealousy, its counterpart, are sinful because they lead us to sorrow over what should make us rejoice – namely, our neighbor's good. The reason we may grieve over our another's good is that somehow we see that good as lessening our own value or excellence. Envy forms when we believe that the other person's advantage or possession diminishes or brings disgrace on us. Envy is contrary to love. Both the object of love and the object of envy is our neighbor's good, but by contrary movements, since love rejoices in our neighbor's good, while envy grieves over it.

How can we overcome envy? With the love that God has put into our hearts through the gift of the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). The Holy Spirit purifies our heart and frees us from our disordered passions, such as envy, jealously, greed, and bitterness. God's love is a generous and selfless love which is wholly oriented towards our good and the good of all his creatures. The love that God places in our hearts seeks the highest good of our neighbor. God's love purifies and frees us from all envy and jealousy - and it compels us to give generously, especially to those who lack what they need. 

God rewards those who do good to others
Every one in need has a claim on us because they are dear to God who created them in his own image and likeness (Genesis 1:26-27). God created us in love for love. We are most free and happy when we love as he loves. The love and charitable help we show to our neighbor also expresses the gratitude we have for the abundant mercy and kindness of God towards us. Jesus declared that any kindness shown and any help given to those in need would not lose its reward. Jesus never refused to give to anyone in need who asked for his help. As his disciples we are called to be kind and generous as he is. Are you grateful for God’s mercy and kindness towards you and are you ready to show that same kindness and generosity towards your neighbor?

Gregory of Nyssa, an early church father (330-395 AD), comments on this passage: “God never asks his servants to do what is impossible. The love and goodness of his Godhead is revealed as richly available. It is poured out like water upon all. God furnished to each person according to his will the ability to do something good. None of those seeking to be saved will be lacking in this ability, given by the one who said: ‘whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ, will by no means lose his reward’” (Mark 9:41). Do you allow the love of Christ to transform your heart that you may treat your neighbor with kindness and mercy?

Avoiding evil and the near occasion of sin
Was Jesus’ exaggerating when he urged his followers to use drastic measures to avoid evil and its harmful consequences (Mark 9:42-48)? Jesus set before his disciples the one supreme goal in life that is worth any sacrifice, and that goal is God himself and his will for our lives which leads to everlasting peace and happiness. Just as a doctor might remove a limb or some part of the body in order to preserve the life of the whole body, so we must be ready to part with anything that causes us to sin and which leads to spiritual death.

Jesus warns his disciples of the terrible responsibility that they must set no stumbling block in the way of another, that is, not give offense or bad example that might lead another to sin. The Greek word for temptation (scandalon) is exactly the same as the English word scandal. The original meaning of scandal is a trap or a stumbling block which causes one to trip and fall. The Jews held that it was an unforgivable sin to teach another to sin. If we teach another to sin, he or she in turn may teach still another, until a train of sin is set in motion with no foreseeable end. The young in faith are especially vulnerable to the bad example of those who should be passing on the faith. Do you set a good example for others to follow, especially the young?

"Lord Jesus, free my heart from envy and jealousy, and every disordered thought and wrong desire, that I may always treat each person with respect and goodness for the glory of your name."

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TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, MARK 9:38-43, 45, 47-48
(Numbers 11:25-29; Psalm 19; James 5:1-6)

KEY VERSE: "It is better to enter life maimed than to keep both hands and enter Gehenna with its unquenchable fires" (v 43).
TO KNOW: Jesus' disciples had seen a man using the all-powerful name of Jesus to defeat the demons and they had tried to stop him because he did not belong to their community. But Jesus challenged the closed-mindedness of his disciples, and encouraged them to imitate God's tolerance toward all people of good will. No one could do a work in Jesus' name and be his enemy: "whoever is not against us is for us" (v 40). The work of the kingdom of God was not restricted to the disciples alone; they must affirm good wherever they found it. Jesus warned them to do nothing that would scandalize his "little ones" (v 42), the poor and lowly in the Christian community. Using Semitic hyperbole, Jesus said that it would be better to enter God's kingdom crippled and maimed than to be cast into the fires of "Gehenna" (another name for the valley of Hinnom located just outside the walls of Jerusalem). Judean kings Ahaz and Manasseh carried out idolatrous worship there, which included human sacrifices to Baal (2 Chron 28:1, 3, 33:1, 6. Jer 7:30-31). Later, it served as a garbage dump where refuse and dead animals were cast into the smoldering fire to be consumed. Gehenna and its never-ending fires became synonymous with a place of total destruction and everlasting judgment of the wicked.
TO LOVE: Do I try to eradicate anything in my life that would keep me from the kingdom of God?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to see all people through your eyes.

SUKKOT BEGINS AT SUNSET

The Festival of Sukkot begins on 15 Tishri (September/ October), the fifth day after Yom Kippur, and lasts for seven days. This festive holiday is quite a change from Yom Kippur, one of the most solemn holidays. The word "Sukkot" means "booths," and refers to the "tents" that the Jews lived in during their wilderness journey. Sukkot is also called "The Feast of Tabernacles." Jews commonly hang dried squash and corn in the sukkah (a temporary hut constructed for use during the week-long Jewish festival). Many Americans remark on how much the sukkah reminds them of Thanksgiving. This is not entirely coincidental. Our American pilgrims, who originated the Thanksgiving holiday, were deeply religious people. When they were trying to find a way to commemorate their survival and express their thanks for the harvest, the pilgrims looked to the Bible and they based their celebration in part on Sukkot (Lev 23:33-44).

www.togetherwithgodsword.com

Sunday 27 September 2015

SUN 27TH. 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Numbers 11:25-29. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart—Ps 18(19):8, 10, 12-14. James 5:1-6. Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48. [St Vincent de Paul].

Readings

Faith based on arrogance does not lead to God; rather it alienates us from God.

Curiously, it sometimes seems the stronger our faith becomes, the less that of others seems to make sense to us. We can easily make the presumption that those who know God differently are somehow misled. Have I classed others, whether mentally, verbally or by my actions, as ‘not one of us’?

Jesus warns us in today’s gospel that to condemn the faith of others is to condemn our own faith. To put an obstacle in the way of their belief is to do the same to our own. It is to alienate him, to undermine the very faith in which we pride ourselves.

In today’s first reading the young man questions the fact that God’s Spirit rests with Eldad and Medad, only to have Moses question the presence of God’s Spirit in his own self. In the gospel, John seeks Jesus’ endorsement of the monopoly the disciples seem to have on the ability to cast out demons, only to have the ability of the other man endorsed.

Lord, grace us with the humility to admit the validity of others’ ways of searching for you, so that our own searching may also be validated and fulfilled in the enjoyment of your eternal life.

www.pray.com.au

LECTIO: 26TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (B)

Lectio: 

 Sunday, September 27, 2015

Welcoming the little ones and the marginalized
No one owns Jesus
Mark 9:38-43.47-48

1. Opening prayer

Lord Jesus, send your Spirit to help us to read the Scriptures with the same mind that you read them to the disciples on the way to Emmaus. In the light of the Word, written in the Bible, you helped them to discover the presence of God in the disturbing events of your sentence and death. Thus, the cross that seemed to be the end of all hope became for them the source of life and of resurrection.
Create in us silence so that we may listen to your voice in Creation and in the Scriptures, in events and in people, above all in the poor and suffering. May your word guide us so that we too, like the two disciples from Emmaus, may experience the force of your resurrection and witness to others that you are alive in our midst as source of fraternity, justice and peace. We ask this of you, Jesus, son of Mary, who revealed to us the Father and sent us your Spirit. Amen.

2. Reading

a) A key to the reading:

The Gospel text of the 26^th Sunday of ordinary time recounts part of a long instruction that Jesus addressed to his disciples (Mc 8,22 a 10,52). (See the commentary on the Gospel of 24^th Sunday). This Gospel especially sets down three conditions necessary for the conversion of someone who wishes to follow him: (i) it corrects the wrong idea of those who think they own Jesus (Mk 9:38-40); (ii) it insists on welcoming little ones (Mk 9:41-42) and (iii) it demands a radical commitment to the Gospel (Mk 9:43-48).

b) A division of the text as a help to the reading:

Mark 9:38-40: Jesus corrects the closed mentality of John the Apostle.
Mark 9:41: Anyone who offers a cup of water to one of Jesus’ disciples will be rewarded.
Mark 9:42: Avoid scandalizing little ones.
Mark 9:43-48: A radical commitment to the Gospel.

c) Text:

38 John said to him, 'Master, we saw someone who is not one of us driving out devils in your name, and because he was not one of us we tried to stop him.' 39 But Jesus said, 'You must not stop him; no one who works a miracle in my name could soon afterwards speak evil of me. 40 Anyone who is not against us is for us.
41 'If anyone gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, then in truth I tell you, he will most certainly not lose his reward.
42 'But anyone who is the downfall of one of these little ones who have faith, would be better thrown into the sea with a great millstone hung round his neck.
43 And if your hand should be your downfall, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life crippled, than to have two hands and go to hell, into the fire that never be put out. 44 45 And if your foot should be your downfall, cut it off; it is better for you enter into life lame, than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. 46 47 And if your eye should be your downfall, tear it out; it is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell 48 where their worm will never die nor their fire be put out. 49 For everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is a good thing, but if salt has become insipid, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another.'

3. A moment of prayerful silence

so that the Word of God may penetrate and enlighten our life.

4. Some questions

to help us in our personal reflection.

a) What pleased or struck you most in this text? Why? 
b) What does Jesus’ statement mean for us today when he says: “Anyone who is not against us is for us”?
c) What does the “cup of water” mentioned by Jesus mean for us today?
d) Who were the “little ones”? What does “anyone who is the downfall of one of these little ones” mean” (v. 42)? 
e) “Millstone around his neck”, “Cut the hand or foot”, “Tear out the eye”: Can these statements be taken literally? What is Jesus saying through these statements? 
f) In our society and community, who are the little ones and the marginalized? How do we welcome them and what is the quality of our welcome?

5. For those who wish to go deeper into the theme

a) Yesterdays’ and today’s context: 

● As we said above, this Sunday’s Gospel presents three important requirements for the conversion of anyone who wishes to be Jesus’ disciple: (i) Not to have a closed mentality like that of John the disciple who thought he owned Jesus, but to be open and ecumenical, able to recognise good in others, even though they may belong to another religion. (ii) To overcome the mentality of those who considered themselves superior to others and who, thus, despised the little ones and the poor and drew apart from the community. According to Jesus, such a person deserves to have a millstone tied round his neck and to be thrown into the depths of the sea. (iii) Jesus asks us not to let routine enter our living out of the Gospel, but that we may be able to break the ties that prevent us from living it fully. 
● These three pointers are very real for us today. Many members of the Catholic Church tend to be anti-ecumenical and have a closed mentality as if we Christians are better than others. In today’s world, dominated by a neo-liberal system, many despise the little ones and everywhere poverty, hunger, refugees and those abandoned are on the increase. We Christians are often not committed to live the Gospel. If we, millions of Christians, were to really live the Gospel, the world would be a different place.

b) A commentary on the text: 

Mark 9:38-40: A closed mentality. 
One who did not belong to the community, used Jesus’ name to drive out devils. John, the disciple, sees this and forbids it:Because he was not one of us, we tried to stop him. In the name of the community, John tries to stop someone else from doing good! He thought that to be a good disciple he had to monopolize Jesus and, thus, wanted to stop others from using the name of Jesus in doing good. This was the closed and old mind of the “Chosen people, a people set apart!” Jesus replies: You must not stop him! Anyone who is not against us is for us! (Mk 9:40). For Jesus, what is important is not whether the person is or is not a member of the community, but whether this person does or does not do the good that the community should be doing. Jesus had an ecumenical mind.

Mark 9:41: Anyone who offers a cup of water will be rewarded. 
One of Jesus’ sayings was inserted here: If anyone gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, then in truth I tell you, he will most certainly not lose his reward. Two thoughts to comment on this saying: i) “If anyone gives you a cup of water”: Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem to give his life. The sign of a great offering! But he does not forget little offerings in daily life: a cup of water, a sign of welcome, an act of charity, and so many other signs to show our love. Anyone who despises the brick will never build a house! ii) “Because you belong to Christ”: Jesus identifies himself with us who wish to belong to him. This means that, for him, we are of great worth. Thus we must always ask ourselves: “Who is Jesus for me?” and also ask ourselves: “Who am I for Jesus?” This verse gives us an answer that is encouraging and full of hope.

Mark 9:42: A scandal to little ones. 
A scandal is something that makes a person deviate from the straight path. To scandalize little ones is to cause little ones to deviate from the path and lose faith in God. Anyone who does so, is condemned to be: “thrown into the sea with a great millstone hung round his neck!” Why such harshness? Because Jesus identifies himself with the little ones (Mt 25:40.45). Anyone who hurts them, hurts Jesus! Today, in many places, the little ones, the poor, leave the Catholic Church and go to other churches. They can no longer believe in the Church! Why? Before we point the finger at the other churches, it is good to ask ourselves: why do they leave our house? If they leave it is because they do not feel at home with us. There must be something missing in us. How far are we to blame? Do we deserve the millstone around our necks?

Mark 9:43-48: Cutting off the hand and foot.
Jesus tells us to cut the hand or foot, to pluck out the eye, if these are the cause of scandal. He says: “It is better for you to enter into life crippled (maimed, with one eye), than to have two hands (feet, eyes) and go to hell”. These sayings cannot be taken literally. They are saying that we must be radical in our choice for God and for the Gospel. The expression, “Gehenna (hell), where their worm will never die nor their fire be put out”, is an image that depicts the situation of one without God. Gehenna was the name of a valley near Jerusalem, where the rubbish of the city was thrown and where there was a constant fire to burn the rubbish. This malodorous place was used by the people to symbolize the situation of one who had no part in the Kingdom of God.

c) Further information:

Jesus welcomes and defends the little ones

Many times, Jesus insists on welcoming little ones. “Anyone who welcomes a little child such as this in my name, welcomes me” (Mk 9:37). “If anyone gives so much as a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, then in truth I tell you, he will most certainly not go without his reward” (Mt 10,42). He asks that we do not despise the little ones (Mt 18:10). At the final judgment, the just will be welcomed because they gave food to “one of the least of these brothers of mine” (Mt 25:40).

If Jesus insists so much on welcoming little ones, it is because many little ones were not made welcome! In fact, women and children did not count (Mt 14:21; 15:38), they were despised (Mt 18:10) and bound to silence (Mt 21:15-16). Even the apostles forbade them to go near Jesus (Mt 19:13; Mk 10:13-14). In the name of God’s law, badly interpreted by the religious authorities, many good people were excluded. Rather than welcoming the excluded, the law was used to legitimise exclusion.

In the Gospels, the expression “little ones” (in Greek elachistoi, mikroi or nepioi), sometimes means “children”, at other times it means those excluded from society. It is not easy to distinguish. Sometimes what is “little” in the Gospel, means “children” becausechildren belonged to the category of “little ones”, of the excluded. Also, it is not easy to distinguish between what comes from the time of Jesus and what from the time of the communities for whom the Gospels were written. In any case, what is clear is the context of exclusion in practice at the time, and the image that the first communities had of Jesus: Jesus places himself on the side of the little ones and defends them. What Jesus does in defence of the life of children, of little ones, is striking: 
● Welcomes and forbids scandalizing them. One of Jesus’ hardest sayings is against those who give scandal to little ones, that is, who by their attitude deprive children of their faith in God. For such as these, it would be better to have a millstone tied round their necks and be thrown into the sea (Mk 9:42; Lk 17:2; Mt 18:6). 
● Welcomes and touches. When children come to Jesus to get his blessing, the apostles are upset and want to send them away. According to the customs of those days, mothers and little children lived practically in a permanent state of legal impurity. To touch them meant incurring impurity! But Jesus corrects the disciples and welcomes the mothers and children. He embraces the children. “Let the little children come to me, do not stop them!” (Mk 10:13-16; Mt 19:13-15).
● Identifies with the little ones. Jesus embraces the children and identifies with them. Anyone who welcomes them “welcomes me” (Mk 9:37). “In so far as you did this to one of the least of my brothers, you did it to me” (Mt 25:40).
● Asks the disciples to become like children. Jesus wants the disciples to become like children who receive the Kingdom like children. Otherwise it is not possible to enter the Kingdom (Mk 10:15; Mt 18:3; Lk 9:46-48). He says that children are the teachers of adults! This was not normal. We want to do the opposite.
● Defends their right to shout. When Jesus enters the city of Jerusalem, it is the children who shout the loudest: “Hosanna to the son of David!” (Mt 21:15). Children were criticised by the chief priests and Scribes, but Jesus defends them and even quotes Scripture in their defence (Mt 21:16).
● Is grateful for the Kingdom present in little ones. Jesus greatly rejoices when he realizes that the little ones understand the matters concerning the Kingdom that he proclaimed to the people. “Father, I thank you!” (Mt 11:25-26) Jesus sees that the little ones understand the things concerning the Kingdom better than the doctors! 
● Welcomes and heals. Jesus welcomes, heals or raises from the dead many children and young people: Jairus’ twelve-year-old daughter (Mk 5:41-42), the Canaanites’ daughter (Mk 7:29-30), the widow from Naim’s son (Lk 7: 14-15), the epileptic child (Mk 9:25-26), the Centurion’s son (Lk 7:9-10), the public servant’s son (Jn 4:50), the child with five loaves and two fishes (Jn 6:9).

6. Praying Psalm 34 (33)

A poor man shares his faith with us

I will bless Yahweh at all times, 
his praise continually on my lips.
I will praise Yahweh from my heart; 
let the humble hear and rejoice.
Proclaim with me the greatness of Yahweh, 
let us acclaim his name together.

I seek Yahweh and he answers me, 
frees me from all my fears.
Fix your gaze on Yahweh and your face will grow bright, 
you will never hang your head in shame.
A pauper calls out and Yahweh hears, 
saves him from all his troubles.
The angel of Yahweh encamps around 
those who fear him, and rescues them.

Taste and see that Yahweh is good. 
How blessed are those who take refuge in him.
Fear Yahweh, you his holy ones; 
those who fear him lack for nothing.Young lions may go needy and hungry, 
but those who seek Yahweh lack nothing good.

Come, my children, listen to me, 
I will teach you the fear of Yahweh.
Who among you delights in life, 
longs for time to enjoy prosperity?

Guard your tongue from evil, 
your lips from any breath of deceit.
Turn away from evil and do good, 
seek peace and pursue it.

The eyes of Yahweh are on the upright, 
his ear turned to their cry.
But Yahweh's face is set against those who do evil, 
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

They cry in anguish and Yahweh hears, 
and rescues them from all their troubles.
Yahweh is near to the broken-hearted, 
he helps those whose spirit is crushed.

Though hardships without number beset the upright, 
Yahweh brings rescue from them all.
Yahweh takes care of all their bones, 
not one of them will be broken.

But to the wicked evil brings death, 
those who hate the upright will pay the penalty.
Yahweh ransoms the lives of those who serve him, 
and there will be no penalty for those who take refuge in him.

7. Final Prayer

Lord Jesus, we thank for the word that has enabled us to understand better the will of the Father. May your Spirit enlighten our actions and grant us the strength to practice that which your Word has revealed to us. May we, like Mary, your mother, not only listen to but also practice the Word. You who live and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

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