Mark 9:38-40

Sirach 4:11-19

Psalm 119:165, 168, 171, 172, 174, 175

Mark 9:38-40

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.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I trust in you and in the power of your holy name. You have done great and marvelous deeds, and they proclaim your deep love for humanity. I will do my small part to bring your mercy to those I encounter today.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Following Jesus: In the Gospel, the disciples are following Jesus on the way to Jerusalem. And Jesus has been teaching them about what it means to be one of his disciples. John points out that they saw someone driving out demons in Jesus’ name and yet is not one of Jesus’ followers. Because of this, they tried to prevent the unnamed man from working these exorcisms. What the disciples struggle to understand is that the true source of the power to conquer evil is not in themselves but in the person of Jesus. The unnamed man was not treating Jesus’ name like a magic formula but was acting with an authentic faith in Jesus. Another lesson here is that there are many elements of truth and holiness found outside the visible confines and structure of the Church. At the same time, these gifts belong to the Church of Christ and are ordered to its unity (Vatican II, Lumen Gentium, 8). 

2. Against Us and For Us: Jesus tells his disciples not to prevent the good works of others, the mighty deeds performed in Jesus’ name. These good works give glory to God and his Son. They are works inspired by the Holy Spirit, who is acting in the world to bring all men and women into the Body of Christ. As well, the Gospel teaches us that we need to work to overcome the scandalous divisions in Christianity. We are tempted to criticize others and emphasize our differences. How can we overcome this? We can start by appreciating what unites us as brothers and sisters in Christ and work together to bring Christ’s merciful love to others in so many ways. “For whoever is not against us is for us” (Mark 9:40). 

3. Love of Wisdom: In the First Reading, we read the second poem dedicated to the praise of wisdom in the Book of Sirach. “In [Sirach] 1:1-10, [wisdom] was introduced as the first of God’s created works, here she is presented as a caring mother who exercises ‘tough love’ with her children, disciplining them in order to exalt them” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Old and New Testament, 1078). Sirach teaches that we do not principally acquire wisdom through study and by growing in knowledge, but rather by pursuing wisdom as a man courts a woman he loves. The one who is wise can effectively govern others in the community. True wisdom does not lead to arrogance or pride. As Sirach teaches: “She will walk with him in disguise and at first she will put him to the test” (Sirach 4:17). The one who walks along the path of wisdom and passes the test – the one who patiently endures the sufferings and trials of this life – will be further strengthened by wisdom and grow in the secrets of wisdom (Sirach 4:18). By contrast, the one who goes astray – the one who departs from the path of wisdom – will be forsaken by wisdom and fall into ruin (Sirach 4:19).

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I love you and only want to do good in my life. Help me to recognize and appreciate all the good that others do and to celebrate the victory over evil.

Living the Word of God: How can I promote Christian unity in my local community? Are there corporeal works of mercy I can join in or support, such as food drives, meals for the poor, youth mentorship programs, or neighborhood clean-ups?