HOMILY FOR 26TH SUNDAY IN THE ORDINARY TIME YEAR B
HOMILY FOR 26TH SUNDAY IN THE ORDINARY TIME YEAR B
HOMILY THEME: DO NOT PREVENT HIM, JESUS REPLIED!
BY: Fr. Sylvanus Amaobi
Num. 11: 25-29, Ps. 19, James 5: 1-6, Mark 9: 38-43, 45. 47-48
Dear brothers and sisters, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).
God pours out His gifts on His people to help the community of the people of God, the community of believers. He pours out His Spirit to help His people in their service to the community. In the first reading from the book of Numbers (Num. 11: 25-29), the Lord bestowed on the seventy elders the spirit of prophecy, and as a result, they prophesied. However, there were two others, Eldad and Medad, who were not among the seventy elders and who prophesied while remaining in the camp even though they did not go to the tent. Joshua besought Moses to stop them. But Moses answered, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the people of the Lord were prophets?”. The same scenario is seen in today’s Gospel readings. 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” (Mk. 9:38-39).
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One can read, sense, or perceive jealousy in the actions of Joshua and John. Jealousy can hinder the progress of the work of God, and it can be destructive to the community of believers. When consumed with jealousy, we are blinded and prevented from seeing the good in other people and what they bring to the table. Moses and Jesus Christ knew better than their followers; their reactions were commendable and emulable. Moses wished that all the people of the Lord were prophets, as that would have made his work much easier. Jesus Christ, on his own part, instructed the apostles not to prevent the man from driving out demons in His name. By this, Moses and Jesus taught their disciples, and indeed us, the need for tolerance and collaboration in the work of the Lord.
THE ELDADs AND MADADs OF OUR TIME
We need to understand that the gift of prophecy and, indeed, other gifts of God, such as healing, preaching, service, teaching, etc., given to the people of God are for the good and sanctification of the Church and edification of the community of the People of God, the Church. God thinks, sometimes, outside the box by giving these gifts. Just as in the first reading, God pours out His spirit and bestows His gift of prophecy, not only to those assembled in the tent, but also to those who are left in the camp. The spirit of God blows where it wills (John 3:8). God has always told us, “My thoughts are not your thoughts nor are your ways My ways” (Is 55:8).
In our time, God still pours out His gifts in and outside the tent. We still have the Eldad and Madad of our time, those who work outside the confines of the established structure. The Eldad and Medad of our time are those good, religious, and charismatic folks who prophesy God’s goodness, justice, healing, and mercy. They show God’s love and compassion through their lives and bring God’s joy to the people of God. These people sometimes live and operate outside the visible structures of the Church and the visible circles of the redeemed. You could be one of them. You are called to be the Eldad and Medad of our time, proclaiming the goodness of the Lord and fulfilling your baptismal promises.
DON’T BE A SCANDAL! AVOID OCCASIONS OF SIN.
In the second part of the Gospel, Jesus warns against causing scandal, living scandalous lives, being obstacles, and leading people to sin. Sometimes, we tend not to care about what we do before people. We are also not perturbed by the image and the impressions we leave behind. We erroneously think it does not matter what people think or say about us. The fact is, it does matter. Our actions matter to people, and we should care about their impact on them. When our actions are bad, evil, and scandalous, they can lead people astray and cause them to sin. To that effect, we are responsible and are held accountable, as the gospel reminds us today. Therefore, we should always try to be a good example and role model for people.
Furthermore, we should not be obstacles to ourselves and to others. We should equally not put ourselves in situations or occasions of sin. Spiritual writers and directors always encourage us to avoid occasions of sin. Jesus tells us, “If your hand can cause you to sin, cut it off … if your eyes can cause you to sin, pluck it out.” The advice of the master is to AVOID OCCASIONS OF SIN, and we will live without sin. The old cliché, never rush in [to places] where Angels fear to tread, is always advisable.
Always remember that Jesus loves you!
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