Homily for 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Traditional scholarship has located Mark's gospel in Rome shortly before the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. With rebellions afoot in Palestine, a growing imperial intolerance in Rome, this was a very dangerous time for the Christian communities. Perhaps the section under discussion is best understood in such a context of persecution and immanent danger. Then the mutilation analogies will work either literally or metaphorically. In a literal sense, bodily mutilation is preferable to loss of faith. Metaphorically, the Christian community may be understood as a human body in the Pauline sense. Those members who betray and offend should be cut off from the rest of the body. Offending members must be sacrificed for the greater good.
It is clear that today's first reading and the gospel were chosen for their close affinity. Eldad and Medad are outsiders, not belonging to the official caste of prophets. When they begin to prophesy in the camp, Joshua appeals to Moses to stop them. Moses replies, 'If only the whole people of the Lord were prophets...' This is a wonderful religious insight on the part of Moses: God's gifts are not diminished through distribution.
This anonymous exorcist of Mark didn't belong to the inner circle either. 'We saw a man who was not one of us casting out devils in your name; and because he was not one of us, we tried to stop him. ' In both instances, the 'good works' of the outsiders provoke jealousy. The response of Jesus is akin to that of Moses: 'You must not stop him...Anyone who is not against us is for us." The disciples drew a circle to keep the exorcist out, but Jesus re-draws the circle to include him in. Here Jesus reiterates the insight of Moses: 'Would that the Lord gave his spirit to them all!' Jealousy in the face of such generosity is an entirely inappropriate response. God's gifts are not diminished through distribution.
Jealousy tempts us to see outsiders as strangers, rivals. But Jesus refuses to look at the matter this way. Instead he invites his fragile company to a larger vision of God's goodness: he commands his disciples to leave the outsider in peace: "Anyone who is not against us is for us." Thus Jesus recognises and confirms the valuable work being done outside his immediate circle. This is so far removed from the life of the scandal-giver, whose deeds erode the faith of the 'little ones'. Jesus, through his unquestioning acceptance and recognition of goodness, builds up faith in the community.
The interesting thing to remember is that the disciples are themselves outsiders in their own society. But they expected to be accepted and cherished as valuable and productive members of that society. Yet they themselves were not prepared to extend that same favour to another outsider. Jesus exposes their inconsistency. He is not threatened by goodness outside his own chosen circle. If his passion is for the good of others, that passion will be served by anyone who does God's work. In that sense, Jesus is indiscriminate when it comes to goodness -anyone will do.
This lesson is instructive for us. The cause of Catholicism is not served by the rejection of other ways of Christian discipleship. The cause of Christianity is not served by those who claim that no real good can happen beyond the boundaries of faith. We can all take pride in the community to which we belong without denigrating the work of those who do not belong to us.
Jesus calls each one of us to tolerance. Christian tolerance is not weakness. Neither is it a lazy acceptance of whatever movement happens to be in vogue. Christian tolerance is a reverence for the truth that is always larger than ourselves. It is a recognition of the charity that flourishes beyond our own borders. It is a profound respect for the freedom of God to move in his own chosen ways. It is a humility before the greatness of God. After all, if God risks hoping in us, why should we deny his hope in others?
What we must not tolerate though is injustice. The extract from James is a most vehement condemnation of injustice. 'Labourers mowed your fields and your cheated them.' Greed is not just a personal sin of selfishness. The voracious greed of the rich man leads directly to the hunger of the poor. The letter of James links with Mark's 'practical charity'. The gift of a mere 'cup of cold water' will not go unrewarded, according to Mark. Christianity, if it is to be authentic, must find expression in justice and charity.