And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spoke to him, taking away of the spirit that was in Moses, and giving to the seventy men. And when the spirit had rested on them they prophesied, nor did they cease afterwards. Now there remained in the camp two of the men, of whom one was called Eldad, and the other Medad, upon whom the spirit rested; for they also had been enrolled, but were not gone forth to the tabernacle. And when they prophesied in the camp, there ran a young man, and told Moses, saying: Eldad and Medad prophesy in the camp. Forthwith Josue the son of Nun, the minister of Moses, and chosen out of many, said: My lord Moses forbid them. But he said: Why hast thou emulation for me? O that all the people might prophesy, and that the Lord would give them his spirit!
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 19: 8, 10, 12-13, 14 R. (9a) The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The law of the Lord is unspotted, converting souls: the testimony of the Lord is faithful, giving wisdom to little ones.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The fear of the Lord is holy, enduring for ever and ever: the judgments of the Lord are true, justified in themselves.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
For thy servant keepeth them, and in keeping them there is a great reward.
Who can understand sins? from my secret ones cleanse me, O Lord:
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart. And from those of others spare thy servant. If they shall have no dominion over me, then shall I be without spot: and I shall be cleansed from the greatest sin.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
Second Reading: James 5: 1-6
Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl in your miseries, which shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted: and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered: and the rust of them shall be for a testimony against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire. You have stored up to yourselves wrath against the last days. Behold the hire of the labourers, who have reaped down your fields, which by fraud has been kept back by you, crieth: and the cry of them hath entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. You have feasted upon earth: and in riotousness you have nourished your hearts, in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and put to death the Just One, and he resisted you not.
Alleluia: John 17: 17b, 17a R. Alleluia, alleluia.
17b, 17a Your word, O Lord, is truth; consecrate us in the truth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel:
Mark 9: 38-43, 45, 47-48
John answered him, saying: Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, who followeth not us, and we forbade him. But Jesus said: Do not forbid him. For there is no man that doth a miracle in my name, and can soon speak ill of me. For he that is not against you, is for you. For whosoever shall give you to drink a cup of water in my name, because you belong to Christ: amen I say to you, he shall not lose his reward. And whosoever shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me; it were better for him that a millstone were hanged around his neck, and he were cast into the sea. And if thy hand scandalize thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life, maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into unquenchable fire: And if thy foot scandalize thee, cut it off. It is better for thee to enter lame into life everlasting, than having two feet, to be cast into the hell of unquenchable fire: And if thy eye scandalize thee, pluck it out. It is better for thee with one eye to enter into the kingdom of God, than having two eyes to be cast into the hell of fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not extinguished.
The Gospel of today’s Liturgy recounts a brief dialogue between Jesus and the Apostle John, who speaks on behalf of the entire group of disciples. They saw a man who was casting out demons in the name of the Lord, but they stopped him because he was not part of their group. At this point, Jesus invited them not to hinder those who do good, because they contribute to the fulfilment of God’s plan (cf. Mk 9:38-41). Then he admonished them: instead of dividing people into good and bad, we are all called to be vigilant over our own hearts, lest we succumb to evil and bring scandal to others (cf. vv. 42-45, 47-48).
In short, Jesus’ words reveal a temptation, and offer an exhortation. The temptation is to be “closed off”. The disciples would like to hinder a good deed simply because it is performed by someone who does not belong to their group. They think they have the “exclusive right over Jesus”, and that they are the only ones authorised to work for the Kingdom of God. But this way, they end up feeling that they are privileged and consider others as outsiders, to the extent of becoming hostile towards them. Brothers and sisters, every closure tends in fact to keep us at a distance from those who do not think like we do, and this — we know — is the root of many great evils in history: of absolutism that has often generated dictatorships and of great violence towards those who are different.
But we need to be vigilant about closure in the Church too. Because the devil, who is the divider — this is what the word “devil” means, the one who divides — always insinuates suspicions to divide and exclude people. He tempts by using cunning, and it can happen as with those disciples, who ended up excluding even someone who had cast out the devil himself! Sometimes we too, instead of being humble and open communities, can give the impression of being the “top of the class” and keep others at a distance; instead of trying to walk with everyone, we can show off our “believer’s license”: “I am a believer”, “I am Catholic”, “I belong to this association, to that one”, and the others, poor things, do not. This is a sin. Showing off one’s “believer’s license” to judge and exclude. Let us ask for the grace to overcome the temptation to judge and to categorise, and may God preserve us from the “nest” mentality, that of jealously guarding ourselves in the small group of those who consider themselves good: the priest with his loyal followers, the pastoral workers closed off among themselves so that no one can infiltrate, the movements and associations in their own particular charism, and so on. Closed. All this runs the risk of turning Christian communities into places of separation and not of communion. The Holy Spirit does not want closure; He wants openness, welcoming communities where there is a place for everyone.
And then in the Gospel there is Jesus’ exhortation : instead of judging everything and everyone, let us be attentive to ourselves! Indeed, the risk is to be inflexible towards others and indulgent towards ourselves. And Jesus urges us not to make a deal with evil, with striking images: “If something in you causes you to sin, cut it off!” (cf. vv. 43-48). If something harms you, cut it off! He does not say, “If something is a reason for scandal, stop, think about it, improve a bit…”. No: “Cut it off! Immediately! Jesus is radical in this, demanding, but for our own good, like a good doctor. Every cut, every pruning, is so we can grow better and bear fruit in love.
Let us then ask ourselves: what is in me that is contrary to the Gospel? What, in concrete terms, does Jesus want me to cut out of my life?
Let us pray to the Immaculate Virgin, that she may help us be welcoming towards others and vigilant over ourselves.
FAUSTI - Our unity is to go after Him, who leads us out of all the fences and opens us up to everyone, beginning with the most distant and the excluded. Being with Him, the Son, unites us to the Father and to our brothers and sisters, and forms a "us" that is not bounded by a hedge of property, but by an internal drive of sympathy towards all... And each one becomes a person in his indelible relationship with Him, the Lord. In the Name of Jesus the church embraces everyone and excludes no one... But whoever excludes one, excludes the One who has become the last of all. Besides not being Catholic, he is not even Christian: he does not yet have the Spirit of the Son who, knowing the love of the Father, died for all his brothers and sisters. Jesus is the sun. With Him in the center, we all rotate harmoniously, each following its own orbit. Diversity does not sound like a threat to anyone, it is not the object of fear and envy. It is a sign of wealth and a reason for blessing the One who gives all good. Jesus, as the centre of the Community, is the heart of all our actions and decisions. His Name is not something foreign to what we do. It's like the direction given to the arrow, which makes it reach the target. In Him, man finds his own authentic existence, that of son and brother. Outside of Him he is out of himself; he fails and falls into nothing of himself. That is why Jesus says: "Without me, you can do nothing". Entry into the Kingdom of the Father is not played out in exceptional things, but in the smallness of the simplest and most necessary. The reward for behaving as a brother is being a son. Love is manifested more in deeds than in words. In the small and daily services it reveals itself more purely than in the large and extraordinary ones, in which self-assertion easily plays a role. Every human action assumes its quality from intention. For this reason, even the slightest gesture made in His name has the greatest dignity, which will never be lost. "Welcome one another, as Christ received you" (Rom 15:7).
First Reading:
RispondiEliminaNumbers 11: 25-29
And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spoke to him, taking away of the spirit that was in Moses, and giving to the seventy men. And when the spirit had rested on them they prophesied, nor did they cease afterwards.
Now there remained in the camp two of the men, of whom one was called Eldad, and the other Medad, upon whom the spirit rested; for they also had been enrolled, but were not gone forth to the tabernacle.
And when they prophesied in the camp, there ran a young man, and told Moses, saying: Eldad and Medad prophesy in the camp.
Forthwith Josue the son of Nun, the minister of Moses, and chosen out of many, said: My lord Moses forbid them. But he said: Why hast thou emulation for me? O that all the people might prophesy, and that the Lord would give them his spirit!
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 19: 8, 10, 12-13, 14
R. (9a) The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The law of the Lord is unspotted, converting souls: the testimony of the Lord is faithful, giving wisdom to little ones.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The fear of the Lord is holy, enduring for ever and ever: the judgments of the Lord are true, justified in themselves.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
For thy servant keepeth them, and in keeping them there is a great reward.
Who can understand sins? from my secret ones cleanse me, O Lord:
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
And from those of others spare thy servant. If they shall have no dominion over me, then shall I be without spot: and I shall be cleansed from the greatest sin.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
Second Reading:
James 5: 1-6
Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl in your miseries, which shall come upon you.
Your riches are corrupted: and your garments are motheaten.
Your gold and silver is cankered: and the rust of them shall be for a testimony against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire. You have stored up to yourselves wrath against the last days.
Behold the hire of the labourers, who have reaped down your fields, which by fraud has been kept back by you, crieth: and the cry of them hath entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.
You have feasted upon earth: and in riotousness you have nourished your hearts, in the day of slaughter.
You have condemned and put to death the Just One, and he resisted you not.
Alleluia: John 17: 17b, 17a
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
17b, 17a Your word, O Lord, is truth; consecrate us in the truth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel:
Mark 9: 38-43, 45, 47-48
John answered him, saying: Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, who followeth not us, and we forbade him. But Jesus said: Do not forbid him. For there is no man that doth a miracle in my name, and can soon speak ill of me.
For he that is not against you, is for you.
For whosoever shall give you to drink a cup of water in my name, because you belong to Christ: amen I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.
And whosoever shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me; it were better for him that a millstone were hanged around his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
And if thy hand scandalize thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life, maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into unquenchable fire:
And if thy foot scandalize thee, cut it off. It is better for thee to enter lame into life everlasting, than having two feet, to be cast into the hell of unquenchable fire:
And if thy eye scandalize thee, pluck it out. It is better for thee with one eye to enter into the kingdom of God, than having two eyes to be cast into the hell of fire:
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not extinguished.
POPE FRANCIS
RispondiEliminaANGELUS
26 September 2021
Dear brothers and sisters, buongiorno!
The Gospel of today’s Liturgy recounts a brief dialogue between Jesus and the Apostle John, who speaks on behalf of the entire group of disciples. They saw a man who was casting out demons in the name of the Lord, but they stopped him because he was not part of their group. At this point, Jesus invited them not to hinder those who do good, because they contribute to the fulfilment of God’s plan (cf. Mk 9:38-41). Then he admonished them: instead of dividing people into good and bad, we are all called to be vigilant over our own hearts, lest we succumb to evil and bring scandal to others (cf. vv. 42-45, 47-48).
In short, Jesus’ words reveal a temptation, and offer an exhortation. The temptation is to be “closed off”. The disciples would like to hinder a good deed simply because it is performed by someone who does not belong to their group. They think they have the “exclusive right over Jesus”, and that they are the only ones authorised to work for the Kingdom of God. But this way, they end up feeling that they are privileged and consider others as outsiders, to the extent of becoming hostile towards them. Brothers and sisters, every closure tends in fact to keep us at a distance from those who do not think like we do, and this — we know — is the root of many great evils in history: of absolutism that has often generated dictatorships and of great violence towards those who are different.
But we need to be vigilant about closure in the Church too. Because the devil, who is the divider — this is what the word “devil” means, the one who divides — always insinuates suspicions to divide and exclude people. He tempts by using cunning, and it can happen as with those disciples, who ended up excluding even someone who had cast out the devil himself! Sometimes we too, instead of being humble and open communities, can give the impression of being the “top of the class” and keep others at a distance; instead of trying to walk with everyone, we can show off our “believer’s license”: “I am a believer”, “I am Catholic”, “I belong to this association, to that one”, and the others, poor things, do not. This is a sin. Showing off one’s “believer’s license” to judge and exclude. Let us ask for the grace to overcome the temptation to judge and to categorise, and may God preserve us from the “nest” mentality, that of jealously guarding ourselves in the small group of those who consider themselves good: the priest with his loyal followers, the pastoral workers closed off among themselves so that no one can infiltrate, the movements and associations in their own particular charism, and so on. Closed. All this runs the risk of turning Christian communities into places of separation and not of communion. The Holy Spirit does not want closure; He wants openness, welcoming communities where there is a place for everyone.
And then in the Gospel there is Jesus’ exhortation : instead of judging everything and everyone, let us be attentive to ourselves! Indeed, the risk is to be inflexible towards others and indulgent towards ourselves. And Jesus urges us not to make a deal with evil, with striking images: “If something in you causes you to sin, cut it off!” (cf. vv. 43-48). If something harms you, cut it off! He does not say, “If something is a reason for scandal, stop, think about it, improve a bit…”. No: “Cut it off! Immediately! Jesus is radical in this, demanding, but for our own good, like a good doctor. Every cut, every pruning, is so we can grow better and bear fruit in love.
Let us then ask ourselves: what is in me that is contrary to the Gospel? What, in concrete terms, does Jesus want me to cut out of my life?
Let us pray to the Immaculate Virgin, that she may help us be welcoming towards others and vigilant over ourselves.
FAUSTI - Our unity is to go after Him, who leads us out of all the fences and opens us up to everyone, beginning with the most distant and the excluded.
RispondiEliminaBeing with Him, the Son, unites us to the Father and to our brothers and sisters, and forms a "us" that is not bounded by a hedge of property, but by an internal drive of sympathy towards all...
And each one becomes a person in his indelible relationship with Him, the Lord.
In the Name of Jesus the church embraces everyone and excludes no one...
But whoever excludes one, excludes the One who has become the last of all.
Besides not being Catholic, he is not even Christian: he does not yet have the Spirit of the Son who, knowing the love of the Father, died for all his brothers and sisters.
Jesus is the sun. With Him in the center, we all rotate harmoniously, each following its own orbit. Diversity does not sound like a threat to anyone, it is not the object of fear and envy. It is a sign of wealth and a reason for blessing the One who gives all good.
Jesus, as the centre of the Community, is the heart of all our actions and decisions.
His Name is not something foreign to what we do. It's like the direction given to the arrow, which makes it reach the target.
In Him, man finds his own authentic existence, that of son and brother.
Outside of Him he is out of himself; he fails and falls into nothing of himself.
That is why Jesus says: "Without me, you can do nothing".
Entry into the Kingdom of the Father is not played out in exceptional things, but in the smallness of the simplest and most necessary.
The reward for behaving as a brother is being a son.
Love is manifested more in deeds than in words. In the small and daily services it reveals itself more purely than in the large and extraordinary ones, in which self-assertion easily plays a role.
Every human action assumes its quality from intention.
For this reason, even the slightest gesture made in His name has the greatest dignity, which will never be lost. "Welcome one another, as Christ received you" (Rom 15:7).