Readings: James 4:13-17; Ps.49; Mark: 9:38-40
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.
ANYONE WHO IS NOT AGAINST US IS FOR US
There is no doubt that the Christian faith can be very demanding and ambiguous for those who do not understand the sacrificial nature of our missionary life. To deal with these challenges, we must learn to discipline ourselves and collaborate with one another. So discipline and collaboration must be central to the Christian mission since the Christian faith comes across different categories of people which requires that there should be room to accommodate one another in that single language of sacrificial love towards Christ’s missionary mandate.
This very discipline and collaborative nature of our faith is what Jesus is addressing in our Gospel passage today when John said to him, master, we saw a man who is not one of us casting out devils in your name, and because he was not one of us we tried to stop him.’ But Jesus said, ‘You must not stop him: no one who works a miracle in my name is likely to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us.
Here Jesus is speaking to his disciples and all of us about doing the works for the glory of God, saying that we should not stop people from doing the good works of God even if the people do not belong to the same group as us. This is because, the disciples of Jesus saw some people who were doing works in the name of Jesus, casting out demons and healing in his name, and they tried to stop them from doing so. Why? Because the disciples having received from Jesus the authority and power to perform miracles they wanted to keep these gifts and authority exclusive to themselves. But Jesus rebuked such a selfish attitude shown by the disciples because Jesus desires that everyone who wishes to do the work of God should be accommodated regardless of their background and affiliations.
Dear friends, by the virtue of our baptism and confirmation we have received the same Spirit of God, that gives us the authority to do great works for God. And St. James in our first reading today said everyone who knows what is the right thing to do and doesn’t do it commits a sin.
Therefore, we too have been entrusted with the missionary mandate of Christ. So, is our responsibility to make good use of the various gifts and opportunities God has given us by ensuring that we discipline ourselves and learn to accommodate other people’s gifts and charisms. We must learn how to collaborate and accommodate other people who speak the one true language of Christ which is sacrificial love.
LET US PRAY: Lord God, we thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit who has always been our guide. Through the intercessions of St. Polycarp, help us to be more accommodating and collaborate with one another as we carry out your missionary mandate of love for each another. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.
