WEDNESDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Mk 9:38-40) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“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.” (Mk 9:39)

FIRST READING - Sirach 4:11-19

A reading from the Book of Sirach

Wisdom breathes life into her children

and admonishes those who seek her.

He who loves her loves life;

those who seek her will be embraced by the Lord.

He who holds her fast inherits glory;

wherever he dwells, the LORD bestows blessings.

Those who serve her serve the Holy One;

those who love her the LORD loves.

He who obeys her judges nations;

he who hearkens to her dwells in her inmost chambers.

If one trusts her, he will possess her;

his descendants too will inherit her.

She walks with him as a stranger

and at first she puts him to the test;

Fear and dread she brings upon him

and tries him with her discipline

until she try him by her laws and trust his soul.

Then she comes back to bring him happiness

and reveal her secrets to them

and she will heap upon him

treasures of knowledge and an understanding of justice.

But if he fails her, she will abandon him

and deliver him into the hands of despoilers.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Mark 9:38-40

From the Gospel according to Mark

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.

WEDNESDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Mk 9:38-40)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

Today's Word of God speaks of Jesus teaching His faithful disciples a lesson of discrimination, selfishness, and jealousy in community life.

Right from the beginning of the creation of heaven and earth, God created the universe of all things, including humans. All belongs to God, and everyone is His children. It was Jesus who taught the apostles how to pray to God the Father: "Our Father who art in heaven." He revealed to humanity that God is the Father of all mankind and all creatures.

God loves and saves all those who believe in Him, those who live and follow His teachings. Thus, those who know how to love are blessed by God and have God in their hearts—not only Catholics and disciples who belong to God. However, Jesus' disciples did not understand His Word. They were annoyed and angry when they saw someone who did not belong to their group but did the same work as their Master of exorcising and healing.

Is it possible that the disciples are jealous, selfish, and gaining fame and profit for themselves? Were they competing and being unfair in their discrimination?

This is also the lesson that God teaches us today: everything belongs to God, and everything is given by God. For those who have faith in God and live according to His teachings, He gives them the grace to do the work that the Spirit of God wants them to do. This includes the gift of exorcism, which not only the disciples of old were given by God, but He also promised to empower all those who believe, love God, and obey His Word. So why did the disciples forbid it? Was there jealousy and selfishness in their hearts? Were the disciples discriminating between those who were called apostles close to Jesus and those who do not belong to the apostolic group?

But Jesus kindly admonished them:

"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."

The love of God the Father is as vast as an ocean, and nothing can be measured. Therefore, we should not measure our love by comparing it to the love of God the Father. Do not prevent those who have the desire to come to Him, do not prevent them from living in love, fasting, praying, and making sacrifices.

God knows that today, there are some shepherds of the Church who are intentionally or unintentionally forbidding those who aspire to come to God the Father and those who live according to His teachings. Those shepherds should examine themselves before God the Father so that He can enlighten them on where they have gone wrong.

Are they meek and faithful shepherds of God the Father, or are they just hired shepherds when they see the fierce wolf, which is Satan, coming to attack the flock, they are indifferent and let the wolf steal the sheep and run away?

At the house of God the Father, He has granted the grace of exorcism to those chosen by Him, including all who believe in the Real Word of God through the handwriting of Angel Thien Thuong, and live according to His teachings in the Gospel. So why do the shepherds of the Church forbid them? God the Father earnestly calls on all shepherds who are hindering or opposing the exorcists chosen by God the Father: "Do not prevent them."

All the graces they receive come from God the Father.

"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."

Indeed, all their works and good fruits are blessed by God the Father. So do not stop them, because the shepherds who oppose the work of God will be judged by Him on the last day.

God the Father calls on those who believe in Him to be courageous in living and testifying to what God the Father has given. And "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna."'(Mt 10:28).

Therefore, the graces that God gives continue to bear fruit. Sacrifice ourselves to save souls and sinners. Do not be afraid of any force other than fearing God; do not retreat, because when we retreat, we have lost to the hands of the devil, as Jesus encouraged His disciples in the past: '"But take courage, I have conquered the world."' (Jn 16:33b).

Thanks be to God. Amen.