SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 29, 2024
SUNDAY OF THE TWENTY SIXTH WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME B
Numbers 11:25-29
James 5:1-6
Mark 9:38-43,45,47-48
IN OUR LIFE WITH JESUS, BE A BRIDGE NOT A STUMBLING BLOCK
Jesus invites us to live a life proclaiming his name. Our calling as Christians is to project the good name, the ideal love, the mission of saving souls and purposely working with God through the direction of his spirit in us.
We must go against the spirit of jealousy, envy and intolerance in working for God. Rather we must live with the spirit of accommodating others, working collaboratively with others and respecting God in others who possess what we have also.
Moses in the first reading received the call to be the leader of the people of Israel. He carried it out faithfully but not alone. He wished to have others working in collaboration with him and this was granted him. The seventy elders were appointed to help him rule, guide and lead the people. Even though two of them did not really accept the calling yet they manifested the requisite characteristics of being called by God by their prophesying. This was accepted by Moses who did not reject them because of their refusal to join the other appointed elders. Moses acknowledges the diversity in God’s ways and wished that other people will do same.
Moses is a good example of one who tolerated others, worked collaboratively with others and shun all forms of envy and jealousy. He discouraged Joshua from being any of these in the service of God.
The gospel passage invites us to accept others especially when they show requisite characteristics of the spirit working in us. We must learn to build bridges of a common humanity, working collaboratively with people, accepting and respecting the other persons’ frame of thought and beliefs. The need to be tolerant to them is very necessary for easy and practical living together to be possible without rancour or evil mind or violence erupting.
Therefore Jesus calls for a spirit of hospitality towards others, accommodating others, helping them fulfill their mission and directions in the work of evangelization. Jesus implores for a cup of water to be given to a prophet, and promises a prophets reward for this cup of water.
There is no need to allow dissension arising from envy, jealousy, backbiting, anger, discord, or any of these sorts in the work of God. There is no need for infighting among Christians or intolerance or strives or any form of discord to arise.
Incidentally, these are what we see in even Christians of same fold. Societies in the church seems to be at loggerhead. For example, Catholic Women organization fighting Confraternity of Christian Mothers over flimsy things, charismatic criticizing legion of Mary over issues that they may not agree with, knights in the Church even fighting against themselves and the list goes on. There are many other abuses and infighting as if the Christian life is meant to be a competition. And instead of building bridges of concord, collaboration and cooperation in the faith, we find ourselves putting stumbling blocks and distorting the mission we are assigned to accomplish because of envy, jealousy and intolerance.
This is not the spirit of Christ which accommodates and collaborates with all. Jesus teaches us and instruct us today to build bridges and avoid these scandals in our faith.
So we are urges to remove all obstacles that creates scandals and evil in our faith. It could arise from pride, or ego, or self importance, or mere intolerance or even hatred for others. These obstacles are meant to be cut off and removed entire from our lives and missions as followers of Christ.
Our calling must be seen as supreme and must be answered with all our heart, mind and soul. Whatever we must do, or sacrifice or cut off to allow the spirit of Christ to flourish must be done urgently and faithfully.
Saint James letter urges us to put self, riches and personal honour and prestige away from our relationship with God. These personal idiosyncrasies can be the obstacles that undermine the spirit of God. We must not allow our personal members and attitudes to injure the faith and community of believers.
In all, let whatever that injures the unity, peace and harmony of the Church and of our faith be removed and expunged from our lives. Same with our moral life, that we must also remove all things that impedes our union with God and our service to God and humanity.
Heavenly Father, we trust in you to guide us through this life by your spirit. Never allow our selfishness, pride and lure for prestige to injure the faith of others or infringe on the work you assign us as your followers. Grant us the spirit of hospitality to tolerate and accommodate others, work with them, respect their gifts and support one another in our mission of living the Christian faith. May we never be source of scandal but rather of strength, love and concord to others through Christ our Lord.
Fr Norbert Uchuno
