September 30 2012
Num 11:25-29; James 5:1-6; Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48
In Mark 8:31 through the end of chapter 10, Jesus and his disciples walk from Caesarea Philippi to Jerusalem. This was a distance of about 126 miles, so it took a long time, even for people who were young and were used to walking everywhere. This passage, from chapter 9, takes place during that walk, shortly after the Transfiguration.
Have you noticed that the disciples in Mark’s Gospel are always getting it wrong? The demons know who Jesus is, but the disciples don’t. In the passage just before this one, Jesus catches the disciples arguing among themselves about who is the greatest among them—who has the most status.
In today’s story, Mark again uses the disciples to show us what we should avoid. The disciples report that they have stopped an outsider from casting out demons in Jesus’ name. Jesus had commissioned the disciples to heal and to cast out demons. Their job was important to them. It was so important to them that they failed to see God at work in the interloper exorcist. Of course, they’ve gotten it wrong again, as they should have realized had they thought about the story from Numbers in today’s first reading. In that story, Moses gathered the elders and arranged for them to prophesy, but he was thrilled when the spirit of the Lord inspired elders to prophesy in his absence. Jesus warns the disciples against being possessive, especially of spiritual gifts.
The problem is that jealously guarding one’s spiritual prerogatives discourages and scandalizes the “little ones” who God inspires to do his work. It hampers God’s work. It gets in the way of the kingdom.
George Fox, the founder of the Quakers, exemplified the attitude of Jesus and Moses. Fox truly believed that the Holy Spirit inspires every person. Therefore, he welcomed and encouraged the good he could perceive in each person. In an age of sectarianism and religious persecution, he taught that “all Christians are believers, both Protestants and papists.” This was revolutionary in the seventeenth century. Today Fox would urge us to appreciate and welcome everything that is good, kind, and just in the views of everyone, including particularly Muslims and atheists.
One of my favorite examples of this kind of thinking is a simple story told by Bishop Fulton J. Sheen. Remember Bishop Sheen and his little angel? This story took place back in the days when people smoked. Two men rode home from work together every day on the bus, and they relaxed by smoking. One day, they decided to use the time on the bus for prayer instead. But after a couple of days, they began to miss their cigarettes. So they went to their parish priest and asked if it was okay for them to smoke while they prayed. The priest thought briefly and then told the men that smoking while they prayed did not seem appropriate. On the other hand, he could see no problem at all if they prayed while they smoked. Thus he encouraged their desire to pray and refused to put a stumbling block in their path.
Appreciating and encouraging others is especially important when they criticize our beliefs or us. One day General Robert E. Lee was speaking in the highest terms of another officer, when one of his men interrupted him: “General, do you know that man is one of your biggest enemies, and misses no opportunity to ridicule you?” “Yes,” Lee replied, “but I was asked to give my opinion of him, not his opinion of me.” For Lee, what was important was who best helped fight the war, not who his fans were.
Who is with us, and who is against us? Whoever is working with God is on our side. Our job is to make sure that we are on God’s side and helping his work.