26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today's gospel reading from Mark has a lesson as important today as it was when Jesus was instructing his disciples.  In the Gospel, the disciples went to Jesus and told him they found someone driving out demons in his name.  Further, they tried to stop him because “he does not follow us.”  In other words, he wasn’t part of the in-crowd.   As Jesus so often did, he used the experience of the disciples to teach them, to expand their thinking and widen their hearts.  “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.”  Jesus was giving the disciples a lesson in tolerance.

Perhaps He also was telling them to be careful not to limit God’s spirit.  The Spirit and mission of God were not to be claimed exclusively by the Twelve, but would be shared with many.  “Whoever is not against us is for us.”  The Lord is at work in every human heart, and who are we to make judgments that may obstruct the mysterious purposes of God?

Jesus went on to say: "If anyone gives you a cup of water to drink just because you belong to Christ, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward."  The key word in this sentence is "anyone."  A simple act done by "anyone" in a spirit of love and compassion is a truly Christ-like act; and is to be recognized as such by us.  Certainly, Jesus says he will recognize it.

There are some words of warning in this scripture.  They are primarily for us, the baptized, although they are addressed again to "anyone."  "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."  Jesus is saying that it is an absolutely terrible thing to be the cause of a person being led astray and away from Christ and the Gospel.

He refers particularly to the "little ones."  These are not just children but also the weakest members of the community: weak perhaps because of their young age, or their lack of learning, or their being new converts not yet matured in the Christian way of living.

In the last part of the Gospel Jesus warns us to be aware of how we can become a stumbling block to ourselves: our hands - what we touch and how we touch, in lust or greed or violence, our feet - the places they lead us, our eyes - what they look at or refuse to look at.  All can be agents to lead us astray.

Using some exaggeration for effect, Jesus says it would be better to be without these organs and limbs rather than become separated from the Lord's way.  But better still is to integrate them into our following of Christ so that our hands becomes agents of compassion and healing and comfort, that our feet help us to bring the Gospel to the world, that our eyes learn to see the truth, goodness and beauty that is all around us.

God our Father,
pour out on us and on all people
the life-giving Spirit of your Son.
Let him open our minds,
that we may see your beauty and truth
in an ever-new light.
Let him open our hearts
that we may receive a fresh provision of courage.

from him every day
Let him pour out in all people
a love that is respectful and tolerant.
All this we dare to ask you
in the name of Christ Jesus our Lord.

 Amen.