Remember a few weeks ago in the Gospel when Peter attempts to correct Jesus on the road to Caesarea Philippi? Peter had rightly professed that Jesus is the Christ, but then Peter objects when the Lord explains that he must go to the cross to suffer and die? Peter didn’t get it, he didn't get the cross, so the Lord corrects him, and thereby gives a lesson to all of us.
Today, we heard a similar dynamic play out between one of the apostles and our Lord. This time it’s the Apostle John who seems to be missing something. He begins to grumble and complain that someone outside of the band of apostles was casting out demons. “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.”
John’s protest echoes the objection of Joshua in our first reading, that Eldad and Medad were prophesying, although they had not been with the other seventy elders gathered by Moses.
Moses replies much like the Lord, manifesting the wish that everyone enjoy the gifts of the Spirit.
Likewise, when the apostle John complains about this exorcist, casting out demons in Jesus’ name, the Lord corrects John, saying, don’t stop him. He’s doing good works in my name. Not just apostles are called to do the work of Jesus, but all Christians.
The Lord goes on to explain that good deeds done in his name are holy, no mattering who does them. There is no holy work, including the giving of a glass of water, that passes unnoticed by God when done in generosity and without selfish calculation. Every act of forgiveness, every donation to a Christian cause, every penny put in the collection basket, every piece of clothing given to the poor, every kind letter or visit paid to someone who was sick, in prison, or alone, every prayer offered up for those in need, every word of comfort, instruction, and guidance, every single action that we perform in our Christian efforts to love God and neighbor is noticed, remembered, and delighted in by our Lord Jesus Christ.
The work of the Church isn’t exclusive to the work of the Apostles, the bishops. Every Christian is given a share in the mission, and is called to works of charity. Remember, we heard, last week, that those who claim to have faith, but do not perform works, their faith is dead.
On Monday, the Church celebrates a saint who took this call to holy works very seriously, the great St. Vincent de Paul, who labored in the streets of Paris, ministering to the hungry and homeless, war refugees, the neglected elderly, and orphans. He saw there was a problem, and knew that he couldn’t wait for someone else to do the work. So he established houses for the poor, crippled and sick, personally caring for the patients who had the most contagious diseases. He would dress their wounds and nurse them to health. And this dear holy priest has inspired generations of Catholics—clergy and laity alike, to labor for the poor.
After Communion today, a member of our parish chapter of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul will share a bit more about what they’ve been doing in the name of Christ in our parish and neighborhood.
After explaining how the mission of the Gospel is so much bigger than just the Twelve Apostles, the Lord gave one of us sternest, strongest condemnations in the entire New Testament. He talks about scandal. Those who cause little ones to sin, should have a millstone tied around their necks and thrown into the sea. It would be better to have your hand cut off, then experience the punishment of those who lead people, especially little ones, the impressionable, away from following Jesus Christ.
St. John was almost guilty of scandal. He was about to stop this devout exorcist from casting out demons because he wasn’t one of the Twelve. This is the definition of scandal, when someone in authority, like an apostle, a bishop, a priest, a parent, a catechist, or even just a fellow Christian hinders the holy works and inspirations of others.
Again, this is a lot like when the Lord called Peter Satan. When Peter said, you mustn’t allow yourself to suffer, it was akin to Satan opposing the holy will of God to save us from hell. And so the Lord rebukes Peter, he rebukes Satan for opposing the salvific plan of God.
So, too, here with St. John. When John wants to stop this exorcist from engaging in good, holy, work, inspired by Christ’s Gospel, he is setting himself at odds with God. Which is why the Lord explains that fiery Gehenna is reserved for those who oppose holy charity.
I love the tension in this Gospel. On one hand, we need to be extremely generous and patient with fellow Christians, encouraging them in holy work, even when they might be a bit different from us. On the other hand, the individual Christian needs to go to extreme lengths to not cause scandal, to not lead others away from Christ by our own words and actions.
On one hand, be deeply, profoundly patient with others, and focus on the good that they are doing, on the other hand, be deeply, and profoundly vigilant about not scandalizing people by setting bad example or teaching error, especially to children. For we will be held accountable for this.
And the best way to avoid scandal is to be diligent about the works of charity, just like St. Vincent de Paul, and so many holy saints, up and down the centuries.
Like Peter, St. John finally got the lesson which had eluded him during the Lord’s earthly ministry. As an old man, you know, St. John had been exiled to the island of Patmos. And every Sunday, the Christians of patmos would go up the mountain, and carry old St. John to Church, where he would celebrate the Eucharist and preach to Christians there. And it is said that every Sunday, St. John would give them same homily, “my little children, God loves you, now love God and love one another.” Sunday after Sunday. When someone finally asked him, St. John, why do you give the same homily over and over, St. John replied, I repeat it over and over because the master repeated it over and over, god loves you, now love God and love one another, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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