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

Numbers 11:25-29

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

James 5:1-6

Mark 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.’”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I reject all sin and entrust myself entirely to you. I never want to be separated from you. Help me to do what is right and just, united to your Son and empowered by your Spirit.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Do Not Prevent Him: John the Apostle was scandalized by someone driving out demons in Jesus’ name and not belonging to the Twelve Apostles or Jesus’ followers. Jesus’ name is powerful and exorcists to this day use it to cast out demons from those who are possessed. In the Gospel today, John has to learn to be open to the good done by those outside the Christian community. Those who do good are not enemies or foes. There are elements of truth and holiness outside the visible confines of the Church and these need to be appreciated and valued. Jesus emphasizes how his Father is generous toward all people and that no good humble act of service will be overlooked by God. At the same time, Jesus puts his disciples on guard against sin: “If God graciously rewards little acts of kindness, he also severely punishes acts of evil, especially those that lead little ones astray” (Healy, The Gospel of Mark, 189).

2. Joshua’s Objection to Eldad and Medad: The Gospel in many ways echoes the First Reading. John’s protest in the Gospel “echoes the objection of Joshua, who grumbled to Moses that Eldad and Medad were not in the gathering of those to whom Moses imparted his spirit, yet they too received the gift of prophecy (Numbers 11:24-29)” (Healy, The Gospel of Mark, 187). The First Reading concerns the appointment of seventy elders to help Moses govern the people. It was a response to Moses’ complaint about how difficult it was to govern alone. Eldad and Medad were not among the original seventy and yet the Spirit of the Lord fell upon them and they began to prophesy. When Joshua objected to their prophesying, Moses responded that he wished for all of God’s people to receive God’s Spirit and be prophets. This request and request of Moses is fulfilled in the New Covenant. When we receive God’s Spirit in the Sacraments of the New Covenant, in Baptism and Confirmation, we are constituted as prophets!

3. Earthly Treasure vs. Heavenly Treasure: In the Second Reading, James warns the readers and listeners of his letter to avoid three kinds of behavior. First, we should not speak evil of our brothers and sisters (James 4:11-12). Second, we should not go about our business as if God did not exist (James 4:13-17). Third, and this is the Second Reading, we should not enjoy wealth gained through injustice. The third admonition is the most severe and carries a condemnation with it. James excoriates the rich on four counts: “hoarding wealth (vv. 2-3), withholding wages (v. 4), living in luxury and pleasure (v. 5), and condemning and murdering the righteous (v. 6)” (Anderson and Keating, James, First, Second, and Third John, 96). If those who hoard wealth do not repent, their wealth will rot away, their clothes will become moth-eaten, and their gold and silver will corrode. Since Gold and silver do not really rust, we need to understand this as a symbol, that earthly treasure will fail. Like Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew, James encourages us to store up heavenly treasure – the treasure obtained through works of charity empowered by divine grace.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I belong to you. I am on your side and will work to establish your Kingdom here on earth. Guide my actions today, inspire my words, and instill your peace in my heart.

Living the Word of God: Am I truly open to the good that people around me are doing? Or am I like a hypocritical pharisee, pointing out all the bad things people do and turning a blind eye to my own faults? How can I be a true disciple of Jesus today?