The Jewish
religion was very exclusive during the time of Jesus. They considered the
revelation of God and their identity as God’s chosen people exclusively
belonged to them. They would not allow anyone to have knowledge about their
revelation or include them into their religion. To think of other people being
blessed by their God or for their God to have worshippers among pagans were out
of their conception. The apostles coming from this context held Jesus and the
privileges that they received from Jesus as exclusive to them. In today’s
Gospel Jesus corrects this perspective of apostles. As the apostles report to
Jesus about man who casts out demons in His name, Jesus replies to them not to
forbid that person from doing (Mk 9:39). Yes, God’s presence is felt even among
pagans who have sense of religiosity. Vatican II and St. John Paul II asserted
repeatedly that Holy Spirit can be active even among other religions. As
Christian our mission is to spread the Kingdom of God. Even without our
proclamation about Jesus, we would find some traces of Kingdom of God and Jesus’
presence among others. Our first step toward them is not to make them members
of the Church but allow them to continue in their good works. Let the spirit of
God be at work among them. We know that they belong to Jesus when they perform
their work in Jesus’ name. We know them through their fruits (Mt 7:20). The one
who does some good in Jesus’ name would not turn against the work of the Church
(Mk 9:39-40).
After
instructing the apostles about the gifts of Spirit among others, Jesus goes on
further to explain about the reception that His servants deserve. The helpers
and receivers of Jesus’ servants are eligible to enjoy their place in the Kingdom
of God. The hinderers of His servants works would receive their reward and more
for those who make His servants to fall and go astray (Mk 9:42-43). We feel
that we are in no way a hindrance to the ministers of the church and to the
life of other faithful. But if we introspect and see some of us may be
stumbling blocks for the minsters and the progress of others in religion. The
planning we do or the programme we organize with others may implicate them to forgo
their practices of piety. Our arrangements of common function may indirectly
force them to compromise some of their religious practices. These are all
simple things but they indirectly cause inconvenience for their progress and
their regular works of religion. For instance, planning office program on
Sunday causes others to compromise their religious duties. Thus, Jesus invites
us to be sensitive to others’ spiritual life.
The church
commemorates this day as the world day of Migrants and refugees. In the second
reading St. James condemns about wealth. In his church there were people who
amassed wealth not through hard work but through illegal means and at the cost
of other’s goodness (Jas 5:4). Amassing wealth is not a problem, but the ways used
to acquire it is the problem. The storing up of wealth is a sign of fear of
losing them one day and also a sign of laziness. Anyone who amasses wealth
through hard work would not store up wealth in a locker. The hard worker would either
share the wealth with others or re-invest in other works. Sharing of wealth
from one’s hard earned money is a realization of pain and toil that hard work gives
to man. One’s sharing of fruits from hard earned money affirms one’s conscience
that s/he knows sweat of hard work. Every re-investment is also a sharing of
one’s wealth. In the process of re-investment one is indirectly creating
employment for many. Today we need more of employment oriented charity than
free given charity. Work gives dignity and satisfaction to human beings. Everyone
wills to enjoy the fruit of one’s hard work. The wealth amassed from illegal
means leads to irresponsible utilization of wealth. On the contrary, wealth
amassed through hard work leads one to responsible use.
The migrants and refuges are victims of inhumanity. They migrate in view of forming better life. They need identity, welcome, employment and integration. Pope Francis in his encyclical Fratelli Tutti invites us to welcome, protect, promote and integrate the migrants and refugees. Let us welcome them by sharing our places, let us protect them by giving them employment, let us promote them by allowing them to follow their customs and let us integrate them by treating them as our equals. Let us remember, the Spirit of God is at work even among them. They are also servants of Jesus. This year in his message to the world day of migrants and refugees Pope Francis has called us to have a heart of WE. He urges us to move towards an ever wider WE. Let us not be hindrance to their work. Let us be inclusive in our approach. Let us welcome them and allow them to continue their work in our localities. May God bless our wealth and let our wealth be a blessing to others especially the victims of inhumanity.
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