SUNDAY- 26^th WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

I Reading: Number 11:25-29: Moses elects the seventy elders

II Reading: James 5:1-6: James condemns the oppressive rich

Gospel: Mark 9:38-43,45,47-48: “You must not stop him…anyone who is not against us is for us.”

There are different types of histories. Today’s first reading and the gospel talk about the salvation history of the humankind. God saved the Israelites through patriarchs, his messengers like Moses and the seventy elders, prophets, kings so on in the Old Testament.

Jesus being the New Moses in the New Testament appointed the twelve disciples to be with him and to be sent out to proclaim the good news and gave them his power and authority to cast out devils, and sent out the seventy others and many followers to continue his mission to establish the kingdom of God to save the humankind.

The salvation history of Jesus still carries on through the succession of the Pope, bishops, priests, and the catechists and the believers. The spirit of God can be given to anyone apart from his disciples or followers; so let us not feel jealousy of others’ inspiring work whereas Joshua in the first reading and John in the gospel were not able to accept the power and spirit of God working through other people. So the power of God is not only in the church but also to anyone whom God endows him/her.

God wants everyone to be saved so He sent His own beloved Son Jesus Christ to save us all from sin and death. St James warns against the rich for their greediness which becomes the obstacle to enter the kingdom of God.  Jesus is very harsh to the sinful acts in today’s gospel which prevent a person to enter into heaven. Being the baptised Christians, believers and followers of Jesus Christ let us try to commit ourselves totally for the salvation of humankind doing good works and glorification of God on this earth.

Thought: Joshua was jealous about Eldad and Medad who were given the spirit of God and they were prophesying in the camp as an ordinary peron and John was also jealous about the outside person who was casting out devils in the name of Jesus. The second sin in the Bible was the sin of jealousy; Cain killed his brother Abel. John the Baptist was not jealous about Jesus rather he said, let him increase and let me decrease and I am not worthy to untie his sandals. We need humility and total commitment and obedience to the commandments of God and try to do God’s plan and mission with his spirit and power.

God can choose anyone from any walk of life or place and can give His power and spirit to carry out his work. Thus the spirit of the Lord is not only based on with the religious or appointed or consecrated persons or chosen ones or baptised Christians or in the church alone but to all whom God wants.

we should not abuse the power, authority, position, wisdom, wealth and riches for our selfishness and worldly life. God endows us with His power and wisdom to save the people of God.

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