Gospel 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.'”
Homily
One of the good things of the American political system is the ability to appoint persons of differing political persuasions to positions of grave responsibility within the government. The system appears to work well and so leaders are able to get the best possible expertise for the benefit of the population. As I read the Gospel reading for this weekend I thought of this situation in the United States because one of the themes of the gospel reading is that of Inclusivity.
In this reading the disciples who have experienced a certain amount of power, after Jesus had sent them out on mission try to stop someone who is not an official follower of Jesus from using the same power which Jesus had given to them. John who is one of the closest to Jesus says to Jesus “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” The attitude of Jesus to this remark of John is instructive because it shows that Jesus is not concerned about gathering power for himself. Jesus’ concern is the well-being of the people and so he tells John “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…” The important thing is that all be working for the good of the people. This attitude of working for the good of the people and not for one’s own benefit is in fact a sign of the selfless love which characterizes the followers of Jesus.
This attitude is contrary to the attitudes of many. We tend to divide people in various camps. The “We against them” attitude can be very prevalent among our people. After national elections, members of the winning party expect that the spoils of victory will be theirs. They expect that their members will have the first places on state boards etc. It is even difficult for them to envisage persons who are neutral being placed in positions of authority. Yet if the common good is the primary concern, then what is important is expertise and not political allegiances. Jesus then goes on to explain what this means in practice. He tells his listeners “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.” In a culture in which non-Jews were regarded as pagans and one could have no dealing with them, this saying of Jesus was revolutionary because the possibility of being included among God’s people was now open to non-Jews. Such a possibility was a movement of inclusivity never imagined.
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What this says to us the present day disciples of Jesus is that authentic discipleship demands a movement from exclusivity practiced in its myriad forms to radical inclusivity.
It demands a recognition that God’s grace is not reserved only to Catholics and that we must recognize the movements of grace amongst all persons of good will. There have been many such moments in modern religious history. The Taize movement being one of these. A number of the Uganda Martyrs were not Catholic and persons like Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and Ghandi, non-Catholics all, brought about tremendous changes in the world, breaking down barriers of exclusion, all for the common good.
When we enter into the movement from exclusivity to inclusiveness, we remove from our lives, the prejudices which keep us apart and which are the cause of such great suffering in the world. Here in T&T, post-election blogs have shown a disturbing trend towards sectarianism. Christians, following the example of Jesus must repudiate such trends. By our lives we must show that the waters of baptism are indeed stronger than blood.
This gospel reading calls us then to a deep examination of conscience so that we can discover all traces or attitudes of exclusivity and elitism and begin the journey of conversion to true inclusivity, bearing in mind that the more inclusive we become, the more we witness to and proclaim and under the power of God’s grace build the Kingdom of God.
Prayer
All powerful and ever-loving God, You sent your Son, Jesus to proclaim and build the Kingdom, which is a Kingdom of Justice, Peace, truth and love; a Kingdom in which total harmony reigns. You know however that often enough, we the disciples of your Son become attached to power and want to keep the privileges of the Kingdom to ourselves. We only want your mighty name to be pronounced by those of us who officially belong to your group. Help us to understand that those who are not against us are with us. Help us to accept that no one who performs a mighty deed in Jesus’ name can at the same time speak ill of Him.” Help us to accept and not be surprised or suspicious when those not of our group do great things for the common good. Help us to see these great things as effects of your grace and signs of your love. We ask this through the intercession of Jesus your Son and Mary, our Mother. Amen
