September 26, 2021

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 137

Reading I

Nm 11:25-29

The LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses.
Taking some of the spirit that was on Moses,
the LORD bestowed it on the seventy elders;
and as the spirit came to rest on them, they prophesied.

Now two men, one named Eldad and the other Medad,
were not in the gathering but had been left in the camp.
They too had been on the list, but had not gone out to the tent;
yet the spirit came to rest on them also,
and they prophesied in the camp.
So, when a young man quickly told Moses,
"Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp, "
Joshua, son of Nun, who from his youth had been Moses’ aide, said,
"Moses, my lord, stop them."
But Moses answered him,
"Are you jealous for my sake?
Would that all the people of the LORD were prophets!
Would that the LORD might bestow his spirit on them all!"

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 19:8, 10, 12-13, 14

1. (9a)   The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
   The law of the LORD is perfect,
       refreshing the soul;
   the decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
       giving wisdom to the simple.
   R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
   The fear of the LORD is pure,
       enduring forever;
   the ordinances of the LORD are true,
       all of them just.
   R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
   Though your servant is careful of them,
       very diligent in keeping them,
   Yet who can detect failings?
       Cleanse me from my unknown faults!
   R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
   From wanton sin especially, restrain your servant;
       let it not rule over me.
   Then shall I be blameless and innocent
       of serious sin. 
   R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.

Reading II

Jas 5:1-6

Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries.
Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten,
your gold and silver have corroded,
and that corrosion will be a testimony against you;
it will devour your flesh like a fire.
You have stored up treasure for the last days.
Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers
who harvested your fields are crying aloud;
and the cries of the harvesters
have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.
You have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure;
you have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter.
You have condemned;
you have murdered the righteous one;
he offers you no resistance.

Alleluia

Cf. Jn 17:17b, 17a

1. Alleluia, alleluia.
   Your word, O Lord, is truth;
   consecrate us in the truth.
   R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mk 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

At that time, John said to Jesus,
"Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name,
and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us."
Jesus replied, "Do not prevent him.
There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name
who can at the same time speak ill of me.
For whoever is not against us is for us.
Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink
because you belong to Christ, 
amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.

"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,
it would be better for him if a great millstone
were put around his neck
and he were thrown into the sea.
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.
It is better for you to enter into life maimed
than with two hands to go into Gehenna,
into the unquenchable fire.
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off.
It is better for you to enter into life crippled
than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna.
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.
Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye
than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna,
where 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'"

Reflection: MISSION IS GIVEN TO EVERYONE

Jesus did not want the kingdom to be a preserve of just a few good people. It should extend to the maximum number without any limit whatsoever. Any earthly treasure is necessarily material and therefore limited. The man who found the hidden treasure hid it again so that he did not have to share it with others and lose part of it. Look at the contrast in the case of the shepherd who lost one sheep. When he gets it back, he calls together all his friends to rejoice with him and to celebrate, to share his joy. Years ago, when a beggar received ten rupees from a foreigner was so happy! Soon there were many beggars around that man. Though the foreigner did not have unlimited cash, for the beggar there was an abundance to be shared. And he passed on the word to his friends. When India wins a cup, say in cricket, the joy is infinite... a hundred billion people share in that joy. These examples are about limited worldly joys. How much more would be the scope of the joy in the kingdom. In such a scenario what difference does it make if a few more people were called to be prophets or if a few more people were to wield the power of Christ? How great would it be if we could say with Moses 'would that all the Lord's people were