BE CHALLENGED BY THE OTHERS
26th
Sunday
During one instance of heavy
rains, when people flocked to our church for safety, a woman came to me. She
offered the information that not all who evacuated to the church are
Catholics. She talked to some of
these people, she said, and asked them why they turned to us and not rather to
their own churches. I gently
reminded the woman that in the Catholic Church, helping is not done by sorting
out people according to religious identity. There are no labels to people who need succor and refuge.
The readings today serve as our
guide in understanding how to see other people who are not “from our side,” –
those who belong outside our group but who, like us, profess to sincerely seek
the Lord. In the first reading
(Num. 11), the Lord distributes his Spirit to the elders together with
Moses. But the Lord also chose to
bestow his Spirit on two elders who were not with them, while enlightening
Moses’ mind that God’s arms are not short, but long enough, to reach whom he
wants.
The same thing happened in the
gospel of Mark (9), when John reports to Jesus that someone, outside the band
of the apostles, was using Jesus’ name to exorcise. Jesus calls for understanding and not for divisive attitude
towards others outside their privileged group.
Clearly the Lord wishes to humble
us today by reminding us that we do not have a monopoly of God’s Spirit. We may believe the truth that our
church is divinely founded and Spirit-led (despite our sins and foibles), but
God uses instruments of his presence and grace from outside the boundaries of
our community. What is important is to see what unites us more than
highlighting what divides us from the rest. Rather than feeling threatened, we must be challenged by
their dedication and sincerity to the Lord and his Gospel.
For if in fact, if we believe the
truth about our Catholic faith, the response to the other is not suspicion but
acceptance and understanding. Then
we must allow other people’s expression of longing for God to serve as inspiration
in our own quest. If we are to be
true followers of Christ, then our concern must be to root out what is most
destructive and unhealthy in us – sin.
Whoever causes others to sin is better off thrown into the sea. Whatever
part of our body pushes us to sin, is better cut off than retained.
It is truly sad to see that still
many religious people think that the battlefield is in debates and apologetic
speeches, in putting others down and winning converts to their side. That is definitely so far from the mind
of Christ. Nobody is better that the others in following the Lord. The real
test of discipleship is the daily struggle to root out sin, which is both
difficult and humbling. Difficult
because sin is a very active and real force in our lives. Humbling, because we are reminded that
we are all weak and in need of the Spirit.
Let us respect the religious
others. Let us be inspired by
their zeal. But let us also turn
to our faith and continue the struggle to be faithful to Jesus.
HAPPY FEAST DAY OF SAN LORENZO RUIZ DE MANILA
HAPPY FEAST OF ALL FILIPINOS!
