REASONABLE JEALOUSY, YET UNWARRENTED


First Reading: Num 11:25-29
Second Reading: Jas 5:1-6
Gospel: Mk 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

Dear friends, last Sunday’s readings were focused on being jealous about people who are close to us; whose victory or achievement may seem to suggests our position is being captured by them. In this line, today’s liturgy – 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time – invite us to focus, rather pay attention to being jealous about people who are not close to us or even unknown to us. In the Gospel we notice St. John – the close and intimate friend of Jesus – coming to Jesus and confessing that He has forbidden someone who acted in the name of Jesus without becoming part of the group of disciples. St. John must have expected appreciation from Jesus for doing this deed. St. John thought that by forbidding someone who exercises the ministry just as the apostles were doing, he has reserved the purity and the necessity of apostleship. On the contrary, Jesus replies to him that forbidding such persons who do good works in His name is not necessary (Mk 9:39). Here, St. John was unconsciously Jealous about His apostleship. He could not stomach someone who has not undergone the training like apostles or lived under the watchful care of Jesus – like John himself – could perform miracles which resemble the power and authority that the apostles have received from Jesus for being with Him.

In the first reading too, Joshua asks Moses to forbid Eldad and Medad from prophesying. Joshua is jealous to reserve the right of prophesying only to his master Moses and elders who are properly conferred to do so. Eldad and Medad were part of selected seventy elders to share the power of Moses, but they did not turn up for the investiture ceremony. Hence, Joshua thinks that it is right and proper to forbid those two from doing the prophetic ministry. Moses corrects the misunderstanding of Joshua that prophesying is the business of God, Moses was only an instrument in the prophesying business of God. Now if others are capacitated to carry out what moses was doing, it is a sign that God’s grace is abounding. The extension of Moses’ ministry is not an opposition nor a downfall of his status. Moses rejoices that God’s work is being shared with many people.

It is reasonable that we become jealous of people who are not part of our group. The sudden entry and elevation of someone in the company and the institution may make people jealous who were making efforts for years to attain that post. The number of people who gather around a particular priest and pastor for praise and worship may cause jealousy among other ministers who sweat and toil day and night to build up basic Christian community in the parish and mission settings. Vert often it happens that the pastors who work for years with commitment and dedication in the parish get discouraged when they see their own sheep are flocking around famous preachers and healing minsters, leaving the parish church empty. They become jealous about those preachers and minsters for stealing sheep that originally belong to them. During those moments the readings of today could console them that they are only minister who share the wok of God. Ultimately, it is the work of God. Thus, there is no need to worry or become jealous or try to stop them if they are only doing the same good work. They should rejoice like Moses that God’s grace is being infused into many to advance the work of God.

In the second part of the gospel, Jesus warns about holding on to those things which make us to fall into sin again and again. Jesus’ suggestion to cut of the leg, chop the hand and pluck out the eye to keep oneself away from sinning invites us to pay attention to where our legs are leading, what our hand are doing and how our eyes are perceiving. Regarding legs; one should avoid frequenting a place that would cause him/her to sin. Regarding hands; one should keep his/her hands away from carry out particular work that causes to sin. Regarding eyes; one should refrain from seeing unwanted things that would lead him/her to sin. Deciding and formulating a resolution to avoid sin alone is not enough. One needs to take concrete steps such as avoiding things that lead to sin. Let us not worry about what others share with us in common without belonging to our group, rather focus on things that make us fall into the snare of the devil. May the grace of God help us to rejoice over others who share the same gifts that is with us and avoid things that make us stumble in the path of holiness.   

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