Charity and Tolerance!

Sunday, September 29, 2024

Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Nm 11:25-29; Jas 5:1-6; Mk 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

The twenty-sixth Sunday invites God’s ministers to inherit charity and tolerance.

In the first reading, we find Moses, in response to the jealousy of Joshua, acknowledging generously the prophetic charism of Eldad and Medad. While Moses agrees to the sharing of the spirit that was on him among the seventy elders of Israel by God, he is tolerant toward Eldad and Medad as they too become the recipients of the spirit. And we also read that immediately after receiving the spirit, Eldad and Medad begin to prophesy. Hence, though Joshua looks concerned that those who are not part of the ceremony receive the spirit, in effect, what he is against is the Lord’s prophetic mission, which the recipients of the spirit begin right away. Hence, the jealousy of Joshua impedes the work of God, and that is why Moses teaches Joshua to be tolerant. 

In the second reading, we find James promoting charity through his condemnation of the riches. The crux of his argument is that the accumulation of material wealth results from a lack of charity. Where there is charity, no accumulation is possible. Secondly, while accumulation also symbolizes the defrauding of the poor, whatever is accumulated is futile too because the material wealth will corrupt and rot away. The wealth generated out of heartless injustices will not be useful to anyone. The kind of charity that James insists upon will not only benefit the poor and needy but also help the flourishing of the Lord’s mission. 

The Gospel text has clear connections to the first reading. It is John who now takes the place of Joshua. It is the man driving demons in Jesus’ name who is found in the place of Eldad and Medad. In a way, both Joshua and John are united in their understanding of the gift of prophecy as an exclusive privilege of the few. But the Lord’s concern is the spread and reach of God’s mission rather than securing the privileges of the chosen few. Very much reflecting the attitude of Moses, Jesus too seems to be saying, ‘Would that all the people of the Lord were prophets! Would that the Lord might bestow his spirit on them all!’ The mission of God is more enriched when every believer comes forward to share his/her unique gift. While the prophetic mission is not a privilege of the few, it is a duty extended to all equally. Hence, exclusivity in God’s mission would only mean protecting the interests of a select few while compromising with the spread and reach of God’s mission. Finally, if we must show charity toward our co-workers in God’s mission, we are called to practice intolerance toward those people and members of the body who cause scandal. 

The readings invite us to reflect on three related points. 

1.Since mission signifies acting in God’s name, it also means to actualize God’s will. Hence, it cannot be a self-serving endeavor. If God is not glorified through our liberative mission, it is only hypocritical. As St. Irenaeus put it, ‘The glory of God is the human person fully alive.’

2. Unity is the hallmark of the Christian community. Together, not divided, we can promote the good of the Church. Hence, we are to strengthen the hand of God and not ail Him with divisions among us. It is left for us to discern what kind of witnessing we have been doing. 

3. Our talents must be used to glorify God and promote the good of humanity. By employing our talents to uplift the downtrodden, we demonstrate our neighborliness. Likewise, our faithfulness is manifested in the way we put our talents to the service of God. 

Let us pray for the grace to become symbols of charity and tolerance so that, as handmaids of the Lord, we enhance His mission in the world. 

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar