First reading Numbers 11:25-29
If only the whole people of the Lord were prophets!
The Lord came down in the Cloud. He spoke with Moses, but took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. When the spirit came on them they prophesied, but not again.
Two men had stayed back in the camp; one was called Eldad and the other Medad. The spirit came down on them; though they had not gone to the Tent, their names were enrolled among the rest. These began to prophesy in the camp. The young man ran to tell this to Moses, ‘Look,’ he said ‘Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.’ Then said Joshua the son of Nun, who had served Moses from his youth, ‘My Lord Moses, stop them!’ Moses answered him, ‘Are you jealous on my account? If only the whole people of the Lord were prophets, and the Lord gave his Spirit to them all!’
Responsorial Psalm 18(19):8,10,12-14
The precepts of the Lord gladden the heart.
The law of the Lord is perfect,
it revives the soul.
The rule of the Lord is to be trusted,
it gives wisdom to the simple.
The precepts of the Lord gladden the heart.
The fear of the Lord is holy,
abiding for ever.
The decrees of the Lord are truth
and all of them just.
The precepts of the Lord gladden the heart.
So in them your servant finds instruction;
great reward is in their keeping.
But who can detect all his errors?
From hidden faults acquit me.
The precepts of the Lord gladden the heart.
From presumption restrain your servant
and let it not rule me.
Then shall I be blameless,
clean from grave sin.
The precepts of the Lord gladden the heart.
Second reading James 5:1-6
The Lord hears the cries of those you have cheated
An answer for the rich. Start crying, weep for the miseries that are coming to you. Your wealth is all rotting, your clothes are all eaten up by moths. All your gold and your silver are corroding away, and the same corrosion will be your own sentence, and eat into your body. It was a burning fire that you stored up as your treasure for the last days. Labourers mowed your fields, and you cheated them – listen to the wages that you kept back, calling out; realise that the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. On earth you have had a life of comfort and luxury; in the time of slaughter you went on eating to your heart’s content. It was you who condemned the innocent and killed them; they offered you no resistance.
Gospel Mark 9:38-43,45,47-48
Do not stop anyone from working a miracle in my name
John said to Jesus, ‘Master, we saw a man who is not one of us casting out devils in your name; and because he was not one of us we tried to stop him.’ But Jesus said, ‘You must not stop him: no one who works a miracle in my name is likely to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us.
‘If anyone gives you a cup of water to drink just because you belong to Christ, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward.
‘But anyone who is an obstacle to bring down one of these little ones who have faith, would be better thrown into the sea with a great millstone round his neck. And if your hand should cause you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life crippled, than to have two hands and go to hell, into the fire that cannot be put out. And if your foot should cause you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life lame, than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye should cause you to sin, tear it out; it is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell where their worm does not die nor their fire go out.’
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What it means to be Jesus’ disciples
What does it mean to be Jesus’ disciples? In today’s gospel, Jesus lists two main ways of what Christian discipleship means. The first is that Jesus’ disciples are called to see the goodness in others, especially those who might not be “one of us” in the strict sense. It is not to dismiss the good works among others just because they are from different beliefs, cultures and practices. Instead, we should rejoice over the good that others who do not belong to the Church are doing, as Jesus said, “Anyone who is not against us is for us”. Secondly, a disciple is to support others and not a stumbling block that causes them to lose faith in God.
Today, as Jesus’ disciples, let us recognise and celebrate that God works through us and through those who do not belong explicitly to the Christian community. In this prayer time, let us ask God for the grace to be a bridge that leads others always to Him.
Question for reflection:
How can I follow Christ in the way He wants me to?
How can I follow Christ in the way He wants me to?
