Reflection for September 29, 2024

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

Numbers 11:25-29 | Psalm 19:8, 10, 12-13, 14 | James 5:1-6 | Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

On this Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, our Scriptures remind us that God wants everyone to be part of His winning team. They also highlight how love for money and material things can interfere with our relationship with God and that true holiness is more important than simply having everything together.

Kenyan runner Abel Mutai was only a few meters from the finish line when he became confused by the signs and stopped, mistakenly believing he had completed the race. Spanish runner Iván Fernández Anaya was close behind and, realizing what was happening, began shouting at Mutai to keep running. However, Mutai did not understand Spanish and was unable to comprehend the instructions. Recognizing the situation, Fernández stayed behind and, using gestures, guided Mutai to the finish line, allowing him to cross first. When a reporter asked Iván why he did this, Iván replied, "My dream is that one day we can have a community where we push each other and help one another win." The reporter pressed further, asking why he had allowed the Kenyan to win. Iván responded, "I didn’t let him win; he was going to win. He was the rightful winner. He had created a lead that I couldn’t have closed if not for his mistake. The race was his." The reporter, still insistent, asked again, "But you could have won!" Iván looked at him and replied, "But what would be the merit in that victory? What honor would there be in such a medal? What would my mother think of it?" Iván Fernández Anaya demonstrated the true meaning of success: we rise by lifting others.

In the First Reading from the Book of Numbers, Moses is feeling the weight of being the only intercessor between God and the 600,000 Israelites wandering in the desert. To help him, God appoints seventy elders to assist Moses in leading the people. These elders are given a share of Moses' prophetic spirit and powers, forming a new leadership group. Joshua, who has been Moses' assistant since his youth, becomes concerned when Eldad and Medad, two of the elders, don’t show up at the tent of meeting. However, the Spirit still descends upon them, and they begin proclaiming God's word throughout the camp. Moses reassures Joshua that there's no need to be jealous, correcting the young and immature Joshua by showing a different perspective. Moses expresses his wish that everyone could receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and become prophets. Sometimes, those on the Lord's team don't appear to be wearing the team uniforms or, from our perspective, don't seem to be helping the team win. Despite this, God desires everyone to be part of His team. He shows no favoritism and wants to bestow His gifts on everyone. Even those we might think aren't qualified to be the Lord's ambassadors could very well be His messengers and partners.

Augusto gave his little girl Jelly ₱200 and told her, "You can do whatever you want with one of the bills, but the other ₱100 is for God." Excited, Jelly ran off to the store. Along the way, she tripped, and one of the ₱100 bills fell into the storm drain. As she got up, Jelly said, "Well, Lord, there goes your ₱100."

For many weeks, we have explored the practical wisdom of James. In this final passage from the Letter of James, the author addresses those who are not only excessively attached to their earthly riches but also have accumulated wealth at the expense of others. It is crucial to understand that James is not condemning money or wealth itself, but rather the love of money that becomes a barrier to faith. He particularly criticizes wealthy landowners who hoard their riches and deny fair wages to their workers. James is also critical of government officials who mismanage funds, such as spending ₱125 million in confidential and intelligence funds in just 11 days, using ₱10 million in government money for premature campaign materials disguised as a children's book, or distributing expired milk and rotten bread to Filipino children in public schools. Wealth can never truly satisfy us, no matter how much we amass, and we cannot take it with us when we die. Thus, we are called to detach from material possessions, ensuring they do not overshadow our relationship with God and our duty to serve others. The underlying message is that wealth is meaningless and even harmful if misused.

Deejhay, an altar server was praying with Fr. Ramon Liwasan, his parish priest. He said a prayer Fr. Ramon had heard many times before. "Lord, take the cobwebs out of my life." Just as Deejhay said this Fr. Ramon interrupted, "Kill the spider, Lord." Many times we ask the Lord to forgive us of some sin, yet we leave the source of temptation in our life.

Sin is so grave that Jesus instructs us to do whatever is necessary to avoid it. In this Sunday's Gospel, we are reminded that we must eliminate anything that obstructs our ability to follow God. Any obstacle in our lives must be removed decisively. One might ponder how many of us who casually repeat, "I confess to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned," would still have our hands or eyes if we took this command literally. Jesus does not advocate for literal bodily harm or dismemberment. The Christian journey aims to enter the Kingdom of God, and Jesus employs the hyperbole of radical surgery to emphasize that holiness is more important than physical wholeness. This serves as a reminder that eternal life is worth any sacrifice we may be required to make. Jesus desires that we use our hands, feet, mouths, eyes, and other body parts for good deeds. Maintaining a relationship with God signifies holiness; severing that relationship leads to Gehenna. Gehenna was a valley southwest of Jerusalem known for its constant fire and refuse, symbolizing the fate of those excluded from the Kingdom of God. To begin, we should examine our daily lives: how we socialize, date, study, work, and interact with family and friends, as well as how we manage our finances. We must eliminate unforgiveness, gossip, anger, and other sins. If anything else is holding us captive—such as binge-watching Netflix, excessive social media use, online shopping, leisure activities, luxuries, mobile games, or overeating—let us cut it out. Seek freedom and embrace eternal life. May God bless our efforts to eliminate and uproot evil from our lives.

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