TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
26 SEPTEMBER 2021
Today,
John speaks alone (without his brother James) to complain to Jesus that he had
seen someone driving out demons in the name of Jesus. He had tried to prevent the exorcist, because
that person does not follow us. It is
important to note that John does not argue that he is not following Jesus. He argues that he is not following US. He wants to exclude this person, much as
Joshua wanted to exclude Eldad and Medad in the first reading.
Jesus forbids
him from preventing this exorcist for three reasons. First, the person is acting with authentic
faith in Jesus Christ, making it impossible for that person to speak ill of
him. Second, Jesus insists that anyone
who is not against us is for us. Most
importantly, he argues that even the simplest acts of kindness have redemptive
value, if done in the name of Jesus.
While John argues for exclusion, Jesus argues for inclusion in his name.
In our own
day, there are many things that divide us.
We belong to different political ideas.
We argue about how to proceed with this pandemic. We are divided about whether masks work or
not. We want to exclude those who are
not following us. But Jesus tells us, as
he tells John, that we cannot exclude those who disagree with us. We have much more in common with one another
when we proclaim our authentic faith in Jesus Christ, when we are together with
him, and when we extend simple acts of kindness to others.
But Jesus
also warns against the real dangers to us who proclaim our faith in him. Those dangers dwell in the deadly lure of
sin. Sin can destroy the life which
Jesus Christ shares with us. We cannot
put stumbling blocks before others, especially children and the most
vulnerable. Bad behaviors can lead them
into separation from God. Then he also
gives three examples of the effects of scandal on oneself. In the ancient world, amputations were seen
as a liberalization of capital punishment.
Thieves lost one of their hands.
Those who walked to do harm to others could lose a foot. Those who were caught in adultery or any kind
of infidelity could lose one or both of their eyes. Those who were maimed in this way could not
participate in public worship, because they were considered unclean.
Jesus points
out that our hands, our feet, and our eyes can lead us into sin. In his letter, Saint James exposes the sin of
the rich who defraud the poor for their own financial gain. Jesus insists that is better to lose one of
these bodily parts than to allow them to form a destructive pattern of
sin. We do not need to take these words
literally. But we need to take whatever
action is necessary to protect ourselves from the damaging effects of our own
bad choices on others and on ourselves.
Making bad choices is more damaging than ritual impurity.
When I was
growing up, preachers often spoke of the fires of hell. It seemed that too many religious leaders
were trying to frighten me into being good.
I am glad that we do not do this anymore. However, we cannot ignore the truth of what
Jesus is saying about safeguarding others and ourselves from the destructive
patterns of sinfulness. God does not
want anyone to be separated from him for eternity. But, God also respects our choices. C.S. Lewis wrote: “There are only two kinds of people in the
end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be
done,’ and those to whom God says in the end, “Thy will be done.’”
In our
divided world, the Lord is encouraging us to recognize those elements of faith
that bind us together. He is warning us
not to allow the anger and vindictiveness of our political discourse to enter
into our faith community. But he is also
telling us to pattern our lives after his and avoid whatever might tear that
community of faith.
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