Catechism Links[1]
CCC 821, 1126, 1636: Ecumenical dialogue
CCC 2445-2446, 2536, 2544-2446: The danger of immoderate riches
CCC 1852: Jealousy
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| “Christ Blessing the Children” by Lucas Cranach the Younger, 1540s |
Commentary:
Reading 1: Numbers 11:25-29
Commentary on Nm 11:25-29
This experience of God sending his spirit upon the seventy Hebrew elders is set in the midst of the desert narratives. The people have been fed with manna and now there was a demand for meat. God imparts to the chosen seventy some of the prophetic charism of Moses. This gift was not prophetic in terms of foreseeing the future, but rather an enthusiasm or charismatic expression of faith in God seen elsewhere in the early Hebrew history and the Christian writings as well (see 1 Samuel 10:10-12; 1 Samuel 19:20-22 and Acts 2:6-11, 17; 19:6; 1 Corinthians 12-14).
Joshua’s loyalty to Moses causes him to challenge the charismatic exhortations of Eldad and Medad, seeing their spiritual awakening as an affront because they were not with the others, attending Moses, when the spirit came upon them. Moses sees the hand of God upon them, and in a prefigurement of Jesus' actions in Mark 9:39, cautions him against jealousy in God’s work.
CCC: Nm 11:24-25 1541
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 19:8, 10, 12-13, 14
R. (9a) The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
Commentary on Ps 19:8, 10, 12-13, 14
Psalm 19 is a hymn of praise. In this passage we give praise to God’s gift of the Law which guides us in our daily lives. The hymn also extols the virtue of obedience and steadfastness to the Law and its precepts.
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Reading II: James 5:1-6
Commentary on Jas 5:1-6
The author reminds his audience of the importance of building up spiritual riches rather than secular wealth. This passage could be a commentary on the parable of Lazarus and the rich man (see Luke 16:19-31). The transitory nature of wealth is decried (“Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten, your gold and silver have corroded”), and God’s coming justice for the poor is predicted (“the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts”).
CCC: Jas 5:1-6 2445; Jas 5:4 1867, 2409, 2434
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Gospel: Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48
Commentary on Mk 9:38-43, 45, 47-48
This section from St. Mark’s Gospel provides an important attitude in Jesus’ teaching. He warns the disciples about jealousy and intolerance toward others who use the Lord’s name but are not traveling with them. “For whoever is not against us is for us.” The Lord finishes his warning saying that those who call people to faith in him, even if they do not walk with the disciples, are friends. He then speaks of those who would lead the people away from him. He uses the “little child” as a symbol of the weak in spirit and the poor. Those that lead them astray, or who are tempted to do so, should resist such temptation at any price, or they will find an eternal punishment waiting for them.
CCC: Mk 9:43-48 1034
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Reflection:
What is there about God that causes people to think that they can “possess” him exclusively? On the surface, that seems to be what is taking place in the book of Numbers with Joshua, and with the disciples in the Gospel of St. Mark.
In Moses’ case, God has called seventy elders to receive what certainly looks like the Holy Spirit (although we cannot make that leap because that gift was not bestowed until the Son of God left it as the new advocate at Pentecost). We are told that God, taking “some of the spirit that was on Moses, the LORD bestowed it on the seventy elders” [5]. The issue arises because all seventy are not present; Eldad and Medad had remained in camp instead of coming to the gathering called by Moses. We are told that even though they were not with the others, the spirit came upon them as well and they began to proclaim God’s presence and mercy in the camp.
Seeing this (or hearing about it) Moses’ young apprentice Joshua becomes indignant and asks (demands) that Moses stop them. Since they were not with Moses when God acted, Joshua either thinks they are not influenced by the same event or that they may challenge Moses for spiritual leadership of the people. Regardless of his thoughts or motives, Moses, great prophet of God, laments that all the people did not receive the same spirit; wishing that all Hebrews would receive the call to prophesy in the same way.
In St. Mark’s Gospel we find Jesus instructing the disciples who had just come to him asking who would be greatest when the Lord assumed his kingly mantle. Jesus sees a pecking order developing among his closest friends and immediately rebukes them. No sooner has he corrected their attitudes on this score than they come to him jealously complaining that someone else (outside the chosen group) was using his name to drive out demonic spirits. This was probably a very sore point for them as, at this juncture in the Gospel, they had just encountered a demonic spirit they could not exorcise (Mark 9:20-30) and Jesus had to take them aside telling them: “This kind can only come out through prayer."
This attitude of jealousy and petty rivalry must have been upsetting to the Lord who was faced with bringing the whole world to understand the love of God and the salvation that could only come through his Only Son. He tells them (probably with a tinge of disappointment) that anyone who helps the cause, doing good works in the name of Jesus, must be seen as an ally not as competition.
These two examples are received with great difficulty among those called to do God’s work. We see it among individuals possessively competing for leadership of ministerial programs. We see it among groups, jealous of the success of other groups seeking the same goals, be those goals in missionary work, charity, or even vocations to religious life. We leave it to you to cite specific examples, but the underlying problem is the all-too-human desire for power over others by a person or group. It is not restricted to the Catholic Church or even Christian denominations. However, it is most inappropriate in those organizations, all of whom profess to be doing Christ’s work on earth.
Today we call out in prayer to all Christians to look with the eyes of Christ at the attitudes and interactions they have with others. Hold those attitudes up to the light of today’s Gospel and see if Christ’s words, “whoever is not against us is for us,” rings in our ears. Today, the Lord calls out for Christian unity.
Pax
In other years on this date: Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church
[1] Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, published by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014.
[2] The picture is “Christ Blessing the Children” by Lucas Cranach the Younger, 1540s.
[3] S.S Commemoratio
[5] Note – in this translation, the use of upper case fonts for LORD and GOD indicates the actual reference to God was made in the un-translated texts (e.g. Yahweh, El, or Elohim).
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