Homily: Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48)
29 September 2024
Fr. Ricky Cañet Montañez
There is a pastor based in Mindanao who has set himself apart from humanity by declaring himself “the Appointed Son of God and owner of the universe”. He has attracted many followers, organised his “church” and generated much wealth for their group because he is a clever and charismatic leader and a gifted speaker. Lately, he has been in the news because of the nationwide manhunt for him, his dramatic capture, and the ongoing live-streamed investigations of the charges against him. He is being investigated for sex trafficking, fraud, and his unspeakable verbal and physical abuses reported by members of his church. Whose agenda did he further? Would we say that he has used his gifts to do good and glorify God?
In today’s gospel, the disciples are concerned that someone else is driving out demons in Jesus’ name. Essentially, they are suggesting to Jesus that He protect His turf and make clear that only those who belong to their group are credible and legitimate. Jesus, of course, sees the bigger picture. Driving out demons, healing the sick, feeding the poor, or whatever other work of charity one might imagine is a good thing. It is not important who does it. The man in question must have some degree of faith in Jesus if he is able to cast out demons in Jesus’ name. How could he possibly be undermining the ministry of Jesus? He is not an enemy here but an ally. What good would come from stopping him and not allowing him to do good work for other people? And so, Jesus utters one of the most famous and gentle rebukes in the Bible: “For whoever is not against us is for us.” (Mark 9:40)
We have a similar situation in the First Reading where we find Joshua upset that Eldad and Medad, who were not present in the tent with the seventy elders, also received the spirit and the gift of prophecy. Even if the circumstances of receiving the blessing were different for these two men, Moses did not hinder them from prophesying to the people. What concerns Moses is the motivation behind Joshua’s irritation. He asks, “Are you jealous for my sake?” (Numbers 11:29) I think it is more of good old-fashioned pride. Joshua knows that God has personally selected people to serve Him in a special capacity, and he has given them gifts and powers to help them carry out their mission. He believed they were special because God set them apart. Joshua had a notion of exclusivity. His focus was shifted towards them and away from God and the mission.
Like John and Joshua, we can also be very protective of our turf that we tend to stifle the work of the Holy Spirit. When we are more concerned with what renders us better than others, we open ourselves to the temptation to sin. Take note that the rest of our gospel passage says, “Pluck out your eye/cut off your hand/ cut off your foot, if they cause you to sin.” (Mark 9:43-47) The elevation of the self and the preservation of the self leaves little room for God. If our egos are inflated because we have been born into wealth or royalty or gained status by our own personal achievements, we tend to forget the Giver of the blessings. GOD, the source of all blessings, is infinitely wise and cannot be outdone in generosity, yet we act as though He is stingy and His resources are scarce. By losing sight of what is important and, for whom we exist, we restrict the power of the Holy Spirit. St. Paul tells the Thessalonians, “Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:19–22) To quench the Spirit is like dumping water on a fire. When we do so, we extinguish the fire of God’s Spirit that burns within the hearts of the faithful and we hinder the work of the Holy Spirit within our own lives, the life of the church, or the world around us.
I was talking to a lady who stopped serving her parish after getting really frustrated with some of her fellow ministers. Sabi niya… “Napagod na ako Father kasi parang sila lang magaling. Sila lang ang tama. They seemed more concerned with who gets the credit than who actually benefits when we all work together.” If we are honest with ourselves, we can sometimes be no different from this. We would prefer that half as much good be done if we could get all the credit than if twice the good were to be done with the credit shared. So here we must imitate Jesus and worry not about who is getting the credit but rather about whether God’s work is being done. I once read a very helpful advice: “Whether I am praised or maligned doesn’t matter to me, what matters most is pleasing God and doing His work.”
This Sunday, we are asked to let go of our pride and to focus on the Lord. We, too, are invited to be grateful for the blessings we have received from God, whether it be wealth, skill, authority, or a special charism. Let us not forget that God gave us these gifts, not just to enjoy, but primarily so we can use them to help others, to witness to the gospel and advance His Kingdom on earth. May God bless us with the gifts of humility, discernment, and perseverance.
Angel of Peace Painting by Karen Tarlton
Sunday Gospel Reflections 