26th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Accentuate the Positive

The readings of this Sunday present us with several challenges.  The first reading and the gospel remind us that God’s Spirit is not confined to our church or even to Christianity.  The Spirit of God can be bestowed on whomever God chooses.  Moses’ contemporaries (Num 11:25-29) did not understand this; they wanted Eldad and Medad to be stopped.  Jesus’ disciples (Mk 9:38-48) suffered from a similar parochialism.  Those to whom the second reading (James 5:1-6) was addressed seemed to have stifled the Spirit by giving themselves over to passing things of the world.  Hence the harsh condemnation of the rich who mistreat the poor.  The gospel also raises the issue of scandal, a topic that hits far too close to home now-a-days.

The natural impulse might well be to take the harsh tone in our self examination and evaluation of others this weekend.  Certainly there is room for prophetic voices that call us to account.  Some might challenge our continuing negative attitudes toward Christians of other denominations, as well as our view of Jews and Muslims and other non-Christian believers.  Others might condemn our lack of efforts to correct injustice in our society and to help the poor truly both at home and around the world.  All of them would have solid ground on which to stand.

The deeper question, though, is whether this stance of condemnation is the most effective.  Perhaps we will catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.  Certainly a more positive approach is more conducive to celebration.  So we should consider how we can lift up this weekend some of the positive efforts in the community to combat the evils noted in the readings.

Who is doing good work in our community to combat injustice?  Who is working for peace day in and day out?  Who is truly serving the poor?  Who works to foster ecumenical activities and understanding?  Who is devoted to the care of children?