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Homily – Sept. 29, 2024 / 26th Sunday (Year B) ● ● Psalm ___ ● ● + Mark 9:38-48 ●
Title: Proportion (Mark 9:38-48)
[00] Hurricane Helene 2024
In the southeastern United States,
countless first responders—firefighters, police, EMTs—have been working
tirelessly to save lives from the floodwaters of Hurricane Helene. Among them
was a meteorologist in Atlanta, who, while covering the story, saw a woman
trapped in her car. He put down his microphone and performed a life-saving
rescue. Though not an official EMT, he is rightly hailed as a hero.
In emergencies like this, we need all
hands on deck. Everyone has a role in promoting safety, whether it's saving
lives directly or simply staying off the roads when advised. Even
"sheltering in place" can be a heroic choice.
[01] The Disciples' Perspective
In
today's Gospel, we see a similar discussion among the disciples about who is
truly doing God's work. They complain to Jesus about someone who was casting
out demons in His name but wasn’t part of their group. They tried to stop him,
thinking he was unqualified.
Jesus corrects them, saying, “Do not
prevent him … whoever is not against us is for us” (Mark 9:39-40). Much like
the meteorologist, this unofficial exorcist was doing good, even if he wasn’t
part of the official group of disciples. Jesus' message is clear: the goal
isn’t who gets credit, but that God's work is being done.
Of course, the meteorologist turned
rescuer in Atlanta will be celebrated as an unofficial EMT/firefighter. And in
no way does this diminish the work of the official EMT and firefighters.
[__02_]
Because the target and goal is not to for the rescuers to get credit
statistically for lives saved … but simply for lives to be saved.
It is true - in the sense of the Church
and our sacraments of Baptism, Confession, Holy Communion that you and I are bound by these sacraments to
follow them, to invite others to follow them. However, God is not bound by
these sacraments. God may save others by His own methods unbeknownst to
us.
I bring this up because Jesus follows up this Gospel with a stern warning about
salvation, heaven and hell and judgment.
In this regard, I just encourage you
not to despair of your salvation or the salvation of others but to continue to
pray and fast and give charitably for the salvation of both the living and dead.
Even if there is someone who died last
week, last year, or years ago, you and I can still pray for him or her, to pray
that as she or he fell into death that there was a moment of final repentance.
And,
this message of repentnace applies to us…
[__03__] Jesus, in Gospel today, tells us what we
do not want to hear, but also gives us solutions that need to be understood in
our own context.
There is a a real possibility that some us could be so far from
God, so explicitly rejecting God that we would not enter heaven.
Also, he is telling us that we are
responsible by our words and actions -
in what we do and what we avoid doing -
to help others by our example.
“he who causes one of these little ones to sin, it would better
for him to have a millstone tied around his neck and he be cast into the sea.”
It is an image that is unforgettable.
But, do we not tune in for the broadcasting of
many "danger" messages in the news media that are also hard to
dismiss? These messages
include warnings from meteorologists, from political reporters, from others
that are also meant to shake us up, to change our ways - to
keep us away from the flood, from fire, from danger, from highway accidents –
all of these are given to keep us safe.
The Lord also wants to keep us safe in
heaven and on earth and give us some solutions…
[__04__] Have you ever heard this Gospel
about the body and thought it outdated or irrelevant to modern times?
It’s important to clarify that Jesus' use
of bodily metaphors is not advocating self-harm. We live in a world where
people struggle with issues like self-harm, and the Gospel does not promote
such actions.
[__05__] Nevertheless, when Jesus speaks of
the hand, foot, or eye, He urges us to meet the **offenses** of temptation and
sin with proportional **defenses**. For example, Jesus was fully obedient to
God, modeling the perfect response to sin. Even before enduring the cross, He
submitted to the divine will of God. This serves as a model for us: to be
defensively obedient, not only when it's convenient but also when it's difficult.
[__06__] **Feet/Motivation**
First,
let's consider **feet** and motivation. Have you ever woken up highly
motivated, excited for the day ahead? On other days, though, you might lack
that same drive. This reflects our sinfulness — we’re motivated when things go
our way, but not when life challenges us.
As Psalm 119 says, “Your word is a lamp to
my feet and a light to my path.” However, it’s easy to follow paths motivated
by personal desires rather than God’s guidance. Sometimes, we walk with people—either
in person or online—who are not good for us, leading us to places we shouldn’t
go. Jesus teaches us that it’s better to lose those negative motivations than
to keep them and end up in a bad place.
[__07__] **Hands/What We Generate**
Second,
Jesus speaks about the **hand**—what we generate through our actions. We can be
very proud of what we accomplish with our hands: work, emails, projects. It’s
easy to take credit for everything we generate, forgetting to thank God for our
abilities. The Gospel invites us to detach from pride in our work and give
thanks to God for His gifts.
Jesus doesn’t want us to lose our hands
but rather to use them to give glory to God. Sometimes, we need to cut off our
attachment to what we generate to avoid the sin of pride. Giving credit where
it's due—both to God and others—is key to healing and standing firm against
temptation.
[__08__] **Eye/Imagination** Finally, Jesus talks about the **eye**, representing our **imagination** and vision. What we look at shapes our thoughts and desires. Often, our gaze leads us into temptation, whether through greed, vanity, or lust. We can be overly focused on material possessions or wealth, and these obsessions take control of us.
It’s not about disfiguring the eye but
about refocusing our vision. Our excessive attachment to worldly desires or
opinions can lead us astray. Today, electronic devices amplify this temptation.
Our phones, tablets, and computers constantly flood us with images and ideas
that can deform our imagination.
To young adults especially: you’re at a
stage where your imagination is highly influenced by the media you consume.
While the Gospel is a defense, so is your family. I encourage you to disconnect
from your devices every night—not just switching to airplane mode but fully
removing them for hours. A proportional response to temptation requires radical
action, such as handing over your phone to a parent overnight to ensure you
rest well.
[__Conclusion__] Jesus’ message is not an ancient code irrelevant to our modern lives. It's a call to reflect on what motivates us, what we generate, and what we imagine. Are we motivated by things of God? Are we focused on personal achievement and productivity, or do we give thanks to God? Our imagination can lead us astray, but by keeping our hearts centered on God’s word, we find true peace. So that we might shelter in the right place both in heaven and on earth. As St. Augustine wrote in the Confessions of his faith, your faith, my faith and our need for connection to God: “Our hearts are restless until they rest in thee.”
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