26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
The readings for this week highlight the importance of community and how wealth and moral conduct play a significant role in building societies and communities. We see God's works and how He uses unexpected people to speak to us, helping us recognize the seriousness and justice to which we are called to serve.
In Numbers (11:25-29), everyone was gathered for the assembly, including the 70 elders of the tribe. Interestingly, two men who were not part of the assembly began to prophesy after being seized by the Spirit. They told Moses what was happening and asked him to stop them, but Moses responded, "Are you jealous for my sake?"
In James (5:1-6), the rich are warned that everything they have will come to an end. Their gold and silver will corrode, and because they have been unjust to their workers and only seek to accumulate treasures, they will be condemned and their treasures gone.
Mark (9:38-48) summarizes these first two readings with the passage where John tells Jesus that someone is casting out demons in His name and that they tried to stop him because he was not one of Jesus’ disciples. But Jesus tells them, "Do not stop him. No one who does a miracle in my name can speak evil of me. Everyone will be rewarded." He also warns that those who act unjustly should remove whatever causes them to sin, for it is better to enter the Kingdom of Heaven missing a part of the body than to be cast out for not repenting.
Who among us has spoken ill of another person? Who has taken something that does not belong to them and kept it as their own? If so, then we should cut off our tongue and our hand to pay for our wrongdoing. But if this was the case, then millions would be without feet, hands, eyes, tongues, etc. No one would be 100% intact, as we all fall short of God’s will in one way or another.
But Jesus speaks of the injustices we commit against our neighbors: spreading gossip and slander, showing disrespect, ignoring needs, despising those who think differently, turning away when we see someone suffering, mocking those who are struggling, or thinking, "That’s what they deserve for being who they are." THIS is not of God.
God wants us to see everyone as He sees us: without prejudice, without conditions, without limitations, and without condemnation. When we learn to do this, we become prophets of God without needing to be in church daily. Sometimes those who boast the most are the ones with the least charity for others.
PRAYER: Eternal Father, thank you for your love. I ask that your Holy Spirit help me act acceptably before You. May your Son, Jesus Christ, walk with me at every moment and teach me to see beyond my human eyes, to behold Your creation and see You in every person I encounter each day. May I not see what the world condemns but rather see the being that YOU love. Amen.