TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Mk 9:38-43 - 45 - 47 - 48)- THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“For whoever is not against us is for us." (Mk 9:40)

FIRST READING: Nm 11:25-29

First reading from the Book of Numbers

The LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses.

Taking some of the spirit that was on Moses,

the LORD bestowed it on the seventy elders;

and as the spirit came to rest on them, they prophesied.

Now two men, one named Eldad and the other Medad,

were not in the gathering but had been left in the camp.

They too had been on the list, but had not gone out to the tent;

yet the spirit came to rest on them also,

and they prophesied in the camp.

So, when a young man quickly told Moses,

"Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp, "

Joshua, son of Nun, who from his youth had been Moses' aide, said,

"Moses, my lord, stop them."

But Moses answered him,

"Are you jealous for my sake?

Would that all the people of the LORD were prophets!

Would that the LORD might bestow his spirit on them all!"

SECOND READING: Jas 5:1-6

Second reading from the Letter of James

Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries.

Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten,

your gold and silver have corroded,

and that corrosion will be a testimony against you;

it will devour your flesh like a fire.

You have stored up treasure for the last days.

Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers

who harvested your fields are crying aloud;

and the cries of the harvesters

have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.

You have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure;

you have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter.

You have condemned;

you have murdered the righteous one;

he offers you no resistance.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY: Mk 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

From the Gospel according to Mark

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.'"

TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Mk 9:38-43 - 45 - 47 - 48)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

Today's Word of God, God the Father teaches all of His children: to live in unity and love for one another, so that Satan will be defeated by the power and love of God poured out on everyone.

The words that Jesus taught the apostles in the past were: do not condemn, do not judge your brothers and sisters when they do not follow what the naked eye can see. What God the Father wants here is for people to have a spirit of true love, to have deep unity, and to give up their own will to turn to the only God the Father; to worship Him, to love Him through daily life, through acts of love, sympathy, sharing, and to support our brothers and sisters, so that all together can live better before God the Father.

On the contrary, what Satan often brings to mankind is jealousy, hatred, division, envy, and competition. This is so that they have the opportunity to divide brothers and sisters from each other, causing displeasure to God the Father. Therefore, God wants people to remember the Lord's teaching: "For whoever is not against us is for us." In the past, when the disciples followed the Lord, there was still Satan's temptation to condemn and judge their brothers and sisters, to be arrogant, jealous, and competitive, and to want to lower the dignity of their brothers and sisters to exalt themselves. These are the temptations of Satan that are trying to infiltrate into the lives of mankind.

 Jesus Christ awakened mankind to know that all are children of God. He controls every creature according to His will. He wants each person to know how to live in unity and love each other, to turn together to God the Father, to fear and love God above all things, and to love our brothers and sisters as ourselves, which is to know how to forgive, to know how to sacrifice and give up ourselves to give and for others.

What God said in the past, until today, is still being carried out in the work of God the Father: do not cause others to stumble, do not condemn or criticize your brothers and sisters. When these people are chosen by God and filled with the power of the Holy Spirit so that they can completely turn to God, to cooperate in His work, do not persecute or condemn them.

Why is that? Because God is the Creator, humans have been created by God according to His will. Thus, He has the full right to use that creature according to what He wants, so other creatures do not have the right to condemn or criticize. Condemnation and criticism are never good for one's soul, because they come from Satan. When people listen to Satan's temptations, they move away from God's love.

God also awakens people in today's world when they follow His work: Be a shining example to your brothers and sisters about obedience, the spirit of loving others, the spirit of loving God, completely following His will, and knowing how to sacrifice yourself to seek the benefit of others.

And God the Father promises to give the reward of the Kingdom of Heaven to those who are faithful, loyal to God the Father until their last breath; know how to cooperate effectively in His work by sacrificing ourselves, to turn to God the Father, and to bring blessings to souls by a life of purity from the soul to the body. Do not cause others to stumble when following the work of God the Father. Because the sins committed in front of our brothers and sisters will please Satan and will push more souls away from God and belong to Satan.

Indeed, what God the Father wants to say here to instruct His apostles in this new era is: to always be closely connected to the Word of God the Father, to remember His teachings and put them into practice; to be determined to obey the will of God the Father at all times and places so that Satan will be defeated, so that Satan will be subdued. And most of all, to have the spirit of compassion, gentleness and love, to lead all creatures to God the Father, and He Himself will also give the reward of Heaven to our souls in the future.

Thanks be to God. Amen.