26th Sunday in Ordinary Time year B 30-09-2012 Theme: Exorcism

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B 30-09-12 Theme: Exorcism 1st Reading Numbers: 11:25-29 unlikely persons get God’s Gift. 2nd Reading James: 5:1-6 share your wealth with the needy. Gospel Mark: 9:38-43,45,47-48 he that is not against us, is are for us. Jesus acknowledges the positive activity in people as the activity of the Spirit, which the disciples failed to see. There are people who claim who are able to drive away evil spirits. Today we will follow Jesus as a person who understands the reason for being good. We know in this world there are many different types of evil. Social evils of rich and poor, educated and un educated, high caste and low caste, etc… People have tired to do away with this, among them here we mention a few who are important and recent. Blessed Theresa of Calcutta while traveling, got the inspiration to begin a congregation to relieve poverty and illness.. When Gandhi was traveling in a train and was thrown out of it due to apartheid he got the inspiration to fight to empower Indians. When Ignatius was recuperating from the wounds of war, did, he receive inspiration to work for the greater glory of God. When Francis of Assisi was enjoying the company of his friends in pleasuring loving events did he get inspiration to embrace lady poverty? Saint Arnold Janssen thought he was not fit to found a congregation, but founded three religious societies. We know there are hundreds of people who, opted to be ideals and models to the world finding inspiration during odd hours. In the first reading Moses chooses unlikely 72 people to help him, only 70 headed his call. The other two were in their ten but they too got the spirit and began to prophesy. Who knows, when God intends to call us for a special work? The whole world seems to be waiting to alleviate poverty, sickness, inequality and want. There are social activists who are striving to achieve this reality as NGOs. There are various action groups which are collecting money, material and personal to bring about this transformation. The church has always acknowledged this reality right from the beginning. The document ‘the Church in the Modern World’ is a testimony to this effect. We see in today’s three readings the reality of God’s goodness, visible in people who otherwise would be unlikely material for such reality. When God chooses no one can prevent. Man/woman may say they are not worthy. Men/women who have been imbued by God’s reality recognize this. How is it that we can respond to God’s invitation to be his instruments of change? In today’s Gospel John speaks for all the disciples. They have been following Jesus and seeing his activities of teaching people. Some have been close to Jesus like them. They also found some people using Jesus Name and driving out evil spirit. The disciples took a bold step to prevent them from doing so. They were not companions of Jesus companions so John takes the lead and forbids this exorcist. Jesus comes to know this and instructs his disciples not to prevent those who do the work of God. Then the work of God is visible in its own power. We see how those who openly do not profess to be followers of Jesus, often such people are the best philanthropists. Who are we to judge them? Then God knows when he has created the universe who is for him and who is against him. He has sent his own son into this world to be bringing about the reality of reconciliation to all irrespective of cast creed and color. He enters into the lives of each one. He does not want any one to be lost. Let us hope when we participate in today’s Eucharist and listen to all the three readings we are inspired by the goodness they reveal to us in hearing this. It is not easy then we have to keep the ears of our heart open. God speaks to us in the depth of this reality. This will help us to be instruments of God’s merciful grace to be brought in the realm of our surrounding. Wishing all a happy Sunday. In the divine Word, Fr. Joe Vaz svd .