Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“No one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me”

 

Gospel Reading: Mark 9:38-40  

 

John said to him, "Teacher, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he was not following us." But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him; for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is for us.

 

What is it that Jesus is trying to tell the Apostles in today’s Gospel?  For some reason, John thinks that the only people who can “cast out demons” are the twelve.   In other words, only the twelve should be able to deliver the message of God.  Christ warns the Apostles that they are not the exclusive messengers of God. That anybody who is delivering the message of God is working for God and not against him.  This message is as true today as it was 2000 years ago.  How many times have we heard that if you’re not (fill in the blank), then you’re not really Christian.  Under this scenario, we try to establish ourselves with an exclusive relationship with God.  That somehow God only favors us and nobody else.  This establishes an elitist relationship with God.  God came to save everyone, not just a small group of select people.  Jesus says that all people who work in the name of God will not be able to speak evil of him.  We should rejoice in the fact that others are delivering the message of God and no we do not have the exclusive relationship with him.  When someone decides to combat evil in the world that person glorifies God; when someone does a good deed, they do a good deed for God; and when someone avoids sin, they reduce the pain that Christ encountered on the cross. 

 

So why were the Apostles upset?  They were upset because they wanted the exclusive relationship with God.  They did not want to share God with anyone else.  This may have been due to envy, to jealousy or even pride.  There is no doubt that the Apostles loved God, but they let these other character traits overcome their goodwill.  To truly project love onto our neighbor, we must be willing to abandon our own desires.  Envy and pride can defeat the love that we want to give.  We should never be upset at others for delivering the message of God.  In fact, we should be encouraging others to deliver the message “for he that is not against us is for us.”  Pope Benedict and now Pope Francis reached out to all who profess the Gospel to be united as one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church  united in the same message that Christ was delivering in this Gospel 2000 years ago.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord God, heavenly Father;

I suffer from pride, from envy and sin.

Forgive me for my weaknesses.

Give me strength to overcome them

so that I may convey your love to others.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon