B Cycle – 26^th Sunday in Ordinary Time 24

Mk. 9:38-43, 45,47-48

Within manufacturing there is a work study which is designed to determine a person’s productivity levels while performing various jobs.  This study is called a “ratio delay study” and it is done by observing a person at random times during their shift to determine if they are productive or idle at that moment in time.  It demands of the person performing the study to accurately decide if a person is actively engaged in work even if they seem to be idle. The person being observed could be perfectly still yet engaged in solving a work problem.  Or a person could be walking to pick up materials which is not part of the work cycle.  Ratio delay studies remain an incredibly useful tool to improve productivity by eliminating the idle aspects of a manufacturing job. 

Ratio delay studies can be misapplied because it demands good judgment about a person’s actions.  It is easy to misjudge, mischaracterize or misunderstand a person’s actions.  This is true in the Christian world and how we interpret our own actions and the actions of others.  We easily can justify our sins by minimizing our intent by justifying our reasons for sinning.  We are quick to compare ourselves to others and in doing so become modern day Pharisees.  We easily justify how our sins do not damage relationship with God.  While at the same time reach conclusions about others based on what we deem as unacceptable decorum. 

The readings today are easy for us to dismiss as not applying to us.  Jesus is not telling us to gouge out our eyes, cut off our hands or our feet.  He is stressing how important it is for us to grasp the damage sin is to our relationship with God.  We forget how Jesus redefined sin when He told us our righteousness must surpass that of the Pharisees (Mt.5:20). Or when He told us if someone slaps us on the right cheek offer him our left as well (Mt.5:39). Sin is not just defined by adherence to the law.

Why should we pay attention to a story about Eldad and Medad actions?  We do not have people suddenly prophesying in our midst.  Why should we pay attention to a story about a rich person whose only concern is enjoying their riches or building up their wealth?    Why should we pay attention to a story about some person casting out demons in the name of Christ?  We have not experienced those kinds of actions by others.  Nor do we expect to experience those things. Why should we concern ourselves about our responsibility for ensuring the youngest among us are not being misled?  After all they are not our responsibility.    

Why should we care about any of these things?  Could it be because we do not understand how our attitudes about sin impact others.  Do we not understand how our attitude about our righteousness impacts the entire community of faith. If Eldad and Medad had prophesied in the camp would that have been acceptable?  You know the answer to that question is yes because Moses would have welcomed them. If the man casting out demons were one of the twelve would that have been more acceptable?  Yes, because he would have been a chosen disciple not an outsider. 

Why these stories if Jesus is not teaching us something about ourselves? These readings show us how we are responsible for creating an environment of encouraging others to discover and use their God given gifts for the good of the community.  Yet the opposite is true in every parish.  People protect their ministries and disregard the new person who desires to get involved.  We are suspicious of the Eldad’s and Medad’s who appear suddenly and draw attention away from those who have been in charge.  We need to be more like Moses and respond as he did. Are we jealous and should we not desire that all of God’s people were prophets.”  

Today’s readings are challenging us to look deep into our hearts and discover those places we have not surrendered to God. We have held onto our sins far too long and have minimized their impact on our lives. These readings are a serious challenge for our concept of sin and God’s desire to rid us of all sin.  We are being told to get comfortable with God coming to us through the words and actions of others.  His coming to us in new ways, through songs, the books we read, the movies we see and encouraging us to cut those that are unproductive out of our lives.  We are being challenged to embrace a mission of evangelization and become a voice crying out in the desert to help others to encounter Christ.

We are being challenged to become active in allowing the Spirit to show us how we are held captive to a mindset that tells us we are acceptable to God as we are.  We are being told to wake up and allow God to change our hearts, to clearly see our sinfulness and acknowledge our deficiencies.  We resist what God is offering us because we are too comfortable where we are. We must acknowledge how much we need to allow the Spirit to change us into holy men and women.  We must do this individually and communally.   

For we are the body of Christ not just a member of His body.  We are not deceiving anyone but ourselves.  Are we satisfied with the crumbs that fall from His table or do we want to join in and enjoy the banquet?