26th Ordinary - B

Ø Intro – Challenging, Surprising lesson from Scripture

A. Continue in Mark Apostles humbled, child as model

1. Lesson on working of God’s Spirit

2. Warning of Dangers of Scandal to others and ourselves

Ø Numbers HS working in many

A. Meet in normal place – Tent of Meeting – Moses only Oracle

1. Every decision thru him

2. Worn out Moses’ turn to complain Cries out to God for help

B. His prayer is answered”

1. “Taking some of the spirit that was on Moses”

2. Does not diminish Elders Praise God speak behalf of God

3. Not surprising Normal place with Moses present

C. Eldad & Medad are in the camp HS comes just the same

1. Not normal Not expected

2. Joshua sees threat to Moses’ authority/privilege his too STOP

D. Lesson to be learned

1. God’s Spirit is greater than our expectations and is not bound by them

2. God is free to initiate new paths to reach anyone

3. Moses knows this He knows all he has done is through HS

4. Joshua learns this when Moses replies, “Would that all the people of the LORD were prophets! Would that the LORD might bestow his spirit on them all”

Ø First part of the Gospel mirrors this lesson

A. John plays the part of Joshua

1. “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.”

2. Doing charitable work in the Name of the true God can’t be bad!

3. John’s surprise betrays that he still preferences status to service; Importance of place to child-like model

B. Jesus responds, “Do not prevent him. For whoever is not against us is for us.”

1. Lesson we learn along with John is: Faithful, RC disciple

a) No monopoly on good works

b) Do not look down upon good works of others snobbery

2. Doing good works in PX name is not uniquely Catholic

a) Habitat for Humanity Heifer Project Pro-Life

C. Yes, Sacraments are ordinary, normal means of encountering the HS through the physical, visible signs and symbols that point to an invisible reality

1. God’s initiative to call people to Himself is not limited to Sacraments

2. RCIA The Spirit will blow where it will

Ø John objects to goodness “leaking” out of group Jesus warns of greater danger of evil “seeping” in through Scandal

A. Jesus was scandalous from eyes of rulers

1. Matthew and friends 2. Healing 3. Forgiving sins

2. Scandalous because man-made precepts go deeper

B. Real Scandal = Taking evil, portray it as good and lead little ones astray

1. Abortion = “A Right of Reproductive Health” taking innocent life

2. Marriage = “A right for any 2 in love” Beauty of Genesis

C. Those responsible will have a bad end

1. The Lord has NO tolerance for these Born out of love for little

2. We should never lose sight of the danger these pose

Ø We must avoid scandals to others AND scandal to ourselves

A. Sandal to ourselves – self-induced habits that detract us from our goal

B. Baltimore CCC Why did God make us? Know, love & serve…

1. This is our goal in this life to prepare for the next

2. We must do our best to not let anything impede that progression

C. Hand, Foot or Eye Work, Motion and vision Essential for life

1. Without these helpless They are very important

D. Don’t gamble with your eternal life Not more than you can lose

1. Before your hand addictive substance hands in your pockets

2. Before your feet company or place of weakness turn around

3. Before you eye porn site close window & log off

Ø Challenging Message in today’s scriptures

A. Universality of the working of HS is easy to hear Warnings against scandals are not easy to bear

1. Can’t be selective We can’t say yes to this and no to that

2. Understood in context we must hold these conflicting lessons in tension

B. By the grace of our Baptism – when the HS first took up residence in our souls – may we recognize the same HS in the works of others and celebrate it.

C. By that same grace may we be empowered to avoid scandal to others and ourselves in this life until we reach the objective of this journey - KOH