Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time The disciples are upset that some “non-disciples” were driving out demons in the name of Jesus. I get the impression that the non-disciples were even successful. Once again, Jesus confronts the exclusivism of the disciples. “Do not prevent them,” Jesus says, “…For whoever is not against us is for us.” (Mk 9:39-40). The tragedy of Jesus life is that he himself was taken outside the city and crucified as an excluded criminal. In spite of this, Jesus did not exclude his enemies but brought them in prayer before the Father. Jesus did what he preached – just as he asked his disciples to cut off their hands if they caused them to sin, he cut off everything that would lead him into the sin of unforgiveness and exclusion.
Today's Scripture
Today’s readings are about exclusion and inclusion. In the first reading, God gives the gift of prophecy to Eldad and Medad – two people not among the seventy that were set apart as prophets. Some complained about this, others got upset and Joshua tried to put pressure of Moses to stop them from prophesying. Moses confronts the exclusivism of these men and opens their mind to the wideness of God’s immense gifts. We see a similar instance in the gospel reading.
If we look at the history of the world, we see those people and movements that built walls of exclusion and those that destroyed the walls of exclusion. Someone somewhere began the caste system; someone somewhere came up with racism; someone somewhere decided to employ ethnic cleansing; someone somewhere decided to exploit another person for profit. But then there were also those who refused to hide behind these walls of division; First and foremost among them is Jesus, the Son of God. Not only does he refuse to exclude the sinners but he broke down the walls of separation between God and humanity. As a result, all of humanity is now welcomed into intimacy with God. There were others too who preached social inclusion - Buddha, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, Dorothy Day and Archbishop Romero.
In the second reading, St James addresses the wall of exclusion that existed between the rich and the poor in his community. His words are harsh. 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.” (Jam 5:1-3).
Being rich is not the sin. But being insensitive to needs of the poor is sin. If wealth becomes the cause for exclusion, for judgment, for selfishness, for self aggrandizement, then there is sin. If affluence does not make people sensitive to other peoples’ needs, then the separation that they create becomes the sin.
What side of humanity are we on? In our attitudes, in our conversation, in our work and in our worship let us make a commitment to destroy the dynamics of exclusion played out in our society. In our own personal lives we have to make room for those in need.
- Fr. Satish Joseph