Our first and Gospel readings today remind us – that in our religious devotions and commitments, we should not place limits on God… and through whom He can work – works of salvation.
From our first reading, Eldad and Medad were not present in the tent with the other 70 elders who received the Spirit. So, the other 70 elders were offended because Eldad and Medad were doing the same work for God that the 70 elders were doing.
Joshua said: “Stop them,”. “Why?” asked Moses. “I wish that all the people were prophets!”
In our Gospel reading - A man was baptizing in the name of Jesus. He was not one of the Twelve. The twelve said. “Stop him”. “Why?” asked Jesus. “He is doing good work.”
The situation between Jesus and his disciples is similar to the one between Moses and the 70 elders in our first reading. Jesus uses the occasion to teach his disciples an important lesson: "Anyone who is not against us is for us" (Mk. 9:40). In other words - Those who are not members of our company or those not within the same religious circle we are in are not necessarily against us. God’s ways have a broader scope than we sometimes think.
Most of us here have been faithful Catholics throughout our lives – “Cradle Catholics”. We have attended Mass weekly from our earliest days. We have lived moral lives and searched for ways that we could serve God in others, particularly in our families. Most of us here do not just go to Church on Sundays, we pray every day. I would like to believe that.
As human beings we fall, we sin, but we also rise up again through the grace of the sacraments - God gave us - through His Church. Most of us here are very happy members of the Catholic Church (I would like to believe that). We see how the Holy Spirit continually works in the Church.
We look at Pope Francis and other spiritual leaders and holy people and see God’s presence in their lives. We witness various charitable agencies and the volunteers like our Mensa Christi volunteers who care for the homeless/the poor and see God working through them.
We believe that the Catholic Church is the original Christian Church. We believe that the Catholic Church has the fullness of the revelation of truth and has the means of obtaining the fullness of salvation through Jesus Christ.
And that is our faith life – the religious world – we live in… but we have to remember that there is another world out there – of non-Christians, non-Catholics, non-believers - different from the faith life or religious world we live in.
And so - we have to be careful. We could be like the disciples of Jesus. They thought they had a monopoly on truth and good deeds - so they tried to stop a man who was performing miracles because he was not of their company, so to speak. Jesus replied in no uncertain terms: “Anyone who is not against us is actually for us.”
He stated the same principle even more strongly in John’s Gospel:” I have many sheep out there that are not of this fold.” Apparently, Jesus did not limit his friends to his circle of close followers, and neither should we.
But how can we call others – and yes – they perform works of charity – how can we call them friends of Jesus if they do not profess his name? How can that be?
The great Catholic theologian Karl Rahner speaks of “Anonymous Christians” – those men and women who are doing the work of Christ without ever hearing his name… this is based/rooted on the biblical view that God is the Creator, the Judge, the Redeemer of the entire universe. The healing and helping love – God revealed in Jesus Christ - is actually also at work in every time and place even through those people who – even without them knowing it - have the courage to embrace and share the love of God…
So what should be our attitude toward those who do not share our faith – who are not of our company, or religious circle? We can be exclusive or inclusive. We can close them out, or we can say with our Lord, “Anyone who is not against us is actually with us.” … for us…
When good people witness charity in us, they find themselves attracted to the Church and to Christ. Universal charity is a great way to attract people to the knowledge and love of Christ.
You see – the Good News is - We are blessed and graced to live in the age of the Holy Spirit. This wonderful time began when The Father and the Son sent the Holy Spirit upon the world. He is the Spirit of God. He is the action of God. The Holy Spirit transforms the world by working in the hearts of all good people.
And thus, in the Vatican II document, The Church in the Modern World, the Catholic Church declared that all who are open to God (meaning – not only Catholics but even non-Christians, non-believers ), those who are following their consciences are themselves, in fact, members of the Church, saved by Jesus Christ… even without them knowing it.
Yes - the Spirit is present in the Catholic Church. Jesus is present in the Blessed Sacrament. But the Spirit is also present where we least expect to find Him… but – again, if we are not careful – we can tend to limit God’s power and love and work of salvation.
No one can harness the Spirit. He is God, the action of Love that has been unleashed upon the world through the Gift of the Father and the Sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ.
We thank God today for the wonders of the Holy Spirit, in our lives, in our parish and in our world.
In today’s Gospel from Mark, "Anyone who is not against us is for us" (Mk. 9:40). In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus says, "He who is not with Me is against Me" (Mt. 12:30)… kind of the other way around.
Both sayings: “Anyone who is not against us is for us.” And “He who is not with Me is against Me.”
They both deliver the same message: when it comes down to the truth about our relationship with Jesus, the Gospel is never neutral… - meaning – we are all called to be either for Jesus or against Jesus – not maybe – not neutral or not just being on the sidelines, so to speak.
From the Book of Revelation 3:15-16
“I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth… meaning – if you are lukewarm - you are in trouble.
As St. Therese of Lisieux said: You cannot be half a saint. You must be a whole saint or no saint at all… We are all called to be saints - only saints go to heaven – and when I say saints – it means not only those officially publicly recognized by the Church – but all people known to God…. People who live their lives according to God’s will.
As Christians, as members of the Body of Christ – there is no such thing as "inactive" members”. There is no such thing as "passive Christians” or "part-time" Christians. Either Yes or No to Christ – Not Maybe. Hot or cold – not lukewarm.
From our second reading from the letter of James - James was not impressed with wealth or fame, and the marks of worldly success were not important to the Christian community. The true friends of God and true followers of Jesus Christ may not possess riches nor social status nor power, but they are those who love justice and act in kindness toward all people… no discrimination, no exclusiveness.
The ultimate test of our Christian discipleship is not what we think about Jesus, not what we say about Jesus, but how we live our lives - what we do about and for and in Jesus. In simple concrete terms: How does our relationship with Jesus affect the way we conduct our lives every day? How does our relationship with Jesus affect our relationships with others – how do we treat others? How do we demonstrate our love for Jesus in the specific, down-to-earth events of our ordinary daily lives?
Jesus has called us out of or from neutrality: "Anyone who is not against us is with us, for us” ... “He who is not with Me is against Me." These words, which Jesus directed to the disciples of His time, are also directed to you and to me every moment of our lives. So, the final question is - Are you ALL IN or out? Are you for or against?
God bless…
