Liturgy of the Sunday

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Twenty-sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time
Memorial of Saints Cosmas and Damien, Syrian martyrs (+303ca). The tradition remembers them as doctors who took care of the sick for free. Special memory of those who dedicate their lives to the treatment and healing of the sick.


First Reading

Numbers 11,25-29

Yahweh descended in the cloud. He spoke to him and took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. When the spirit came on them they prophesied -- but only once. Two men had stayed back in the camp; one was called Eldad and the other Medad. The spirit came down on them; though they had not gone to the Tent, their names were enrolled among the rest. These began to prophesy in the camp. A young man ran to tell Moses this. 'Look,' he said, 'Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.' Joshua son of Nun, who had served Moses since he was a boy, spoke up and said, 'My lord Moses, stop them!' Moses replied, 'Are you jealous on my account? If only all Yahweh's people were prophets, and Yahweh had given them his spirit!'

Second Reading

James 5,1-6

Well now, you rich! Lament, weep for the miseries that are coming to you. Your wealth is rotting, your clothes are all moth-eaten. All your gold and your silver are corroding away, and the same corrosion will be a witness against you and eat into your body. It is like a fire which you have stored up for the final days. Can you hear crying out against you the wages which you kept back from the labourers mowing your fields? The cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord Sabaoth. On earth you have had a life of comfort and luxury; in the time of slaughter you went on eating to your heart's content. It was you who condemned the upright and killed them; they offered you no resistance.

Reading of the Gospel

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Yesterday I was buried with Christ,
today I rise with you who are risen.
With you I was crucified;
remember me, Lord, in your kingdom.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Mark 9,38-43.45.47-48

John said to him, 'Master, we saw someone who is not one of us driving out devils in your name, and because he was not one of us we tried to stop him.' But Jesus said, 'You must not stop him; no one who works a miracle in my name could soon afterwards speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us. 'If anyone gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, then in truth I tell you, he will most certainly not lose his reward. 'But anyone who is the downfall of one of these little ones who have faith, would be better thrown into the sea with a great millstone hung round his neck. And if your hand should be your downfall, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life crippled, than to have two hands and go to hell, into the fire thatnever be put out. And if your foot should be your downfall, cut it off; it is better for you enter into life lame, than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye should be your downfall, tear it out; it is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell where their worm will never die nor their fire be put out.

 

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Yesterday I was buried with Christ,
today I rise with you who are risen.
With you I was crucified;
remember me, Lord, in your kingdom.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Homily

In this Sunday's passage, John, one of the twelfth who had been silent, speaks up and says self-assuredly, "Teacher, we saw someone* casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us."
Often we think like John. Moses says: "Would that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit on them!" and this is the wisdom of God who does not stop to seek prophets for every time and every generation. This is why Jesus responds decisively to John and the others: "Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterwards to speak evil of me. 40Whoever is not against us is for us." Good, no matter where and by whom it is done, comes from God. Whoever helps the needy, supports the weak, comforts the desperate, welcomes others, promotes friendship, works for peace and is ready to forgive, is always one who comes from God.
We need a wider vision that helps us to intuit the workings of God's Spirit in the world. We should not be sad, like the apostle John, if we see that other persons who are casting out demons and doing good. Jesus rejoiced seeing that many were being healed and returning to health. It is written that the joy for the Lord is the living human being. This is why Jesus pronounces harsh words against those who are of "scandal." Being of "scandal" means causing someone to stumble and fall, or in any way not supporting those who are weak and in need of comfort. Love for others always requires some cuts and some renunciations. Obviously it is not about mutilation rather about change in the attitudes of our heart. In fact, we often have our eyes directed only on ourselves, and our hands working only for our own purposes, and our feet moving us in the direction of our own business. Let us take at least one eye off from ourselves and we will certainly be happier. Let us use at least one hand to help someone who is suffering and we will taste the same joy that Jesus tastes. Let us walk along the path of the Gospel and we will be witnesses to God's love. In this way, we will understand what Jesus is telling us, "Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for the sake of the Gospel will find it."