Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B 2024

Peter H. Davids

Ordinary Time • Sermon • Submitted 15 days ago • Presented 11 days ago

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The healthy leader welcomes the gifting and abilities of others and gives proper credit. We see this in Moses, even with those speaking ecstatically without being with Moses and in the presence of the people. This is Jesus who welcomes others healing in his name or even “giving a cup og cold water” because the recipient belongs to Jesus. The unhealthy leader is, as James says, gathering the resources, glory, and honor to him- or herself, injuring others. They stumble others from the faith and earn damnation, so we should weep for them. This tells us to avoid scandalizing others and not to be jealous of those who are not Catholic or not our type of Catholic if they do good acts in the name of Jesus. We should be open to all the help we can get so long as it draws people to Jesus.

Notes

Transcript

Title

Who is truly doing the work of God?

Outline

I recently heard a podcast on leadership

The healthy leader both welcomes ideas from others and is willing to do hard jobs for which he or she knows they will not be given credit. The unhealthy leader wants only their ideas to be followed and will take credit for what others do.

That is close to our readings today.

Moses is the healthy leader who welcomes other whom God gifts

He knows he need help, he welcomes God’s spirit coming upon the 70 and even upon the 2 of them “in the camp” (for whatever reason) and thus visible to others. Joshua wants only those in the presence of Moses to be recognized. Moses is both humble and meek.

James sees the unhealthy rich

These are probably leaders in the community, either Christian or Jewish. Their mark is that the care only for themselves and neglect the needs of others. Their result is “slaughter” - likely final judgment. And a mark of their intransigence is that they attack the righteous one, perhaps Jesus, perhaps a righteous man who points out their unrighteousness.

Jesus is the greater Moses

He is not jealous about works done “in his name.” Why? Because the person is, likely unknowingly, on Jesus’ side: “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.” Indeed, even giving someone “a cup of cold water” because “you belong to Christ” will be recognized and rewarded by God.

On the other hand, to stumble someone from the faith will bring damnation to the one who stumbles them, even if they think they belong to Jesus.

There are lessons for us here

Not everything done in Jesus’ name is good before God: some can stumble “little ones,” weaker believers. How horrible is the fate of such.

On the other hand, let us not be jealous or try to debunk or shut down the Spirit’s working in those who are not Catholic, not our type of Catholic, or not even Christian if they do it in the name of Jesus or do it to someone because they belong to Jesus.

Let us always welcome God’s working through anyone and not judge them, for in our task we need all the help we can get so long as it draws people to Jesus and does not turn them from the faith.

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