O God, who manifest your almighty power above all by pardoning and showing mercy, bestow, we pray, your grace abundantly upon us and make those hastening to attain your promises heirs to the treasures of heaven. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
First Reading Nm 11:25-29
The Lord said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy of the elders of the people, 17 and they shall bear the burden of the people along with you so that you do not bear it all by yourself.” 25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud, took some of the spirit that was on Moses and put it on the seventy elders. When the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do so again. 26 Two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested on them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. 27 A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28 Joshua son of Nun, the assistant of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, “My lord Moses, stop them!” 29 But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit on them!”
Responsorial Psalm Ps 19:8,10,12-13,14
R/. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
Second Reading Jas 5:1-16
Come now, you rich people, weep and wail for the miseries that are coming to you. 2 Your riches have rotted, and your clothes are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you, and it will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure for the last days. 4 Listen! The wages of the labourers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous one, who does not resist you.
Alleluia Cf. Jn 17:17b,17a
Gospel Mk 9: 38-43,45,47-48
After Jesus had finished teaching the disciples, 38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40 Whoever is not against us is for us. 41 “For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward. 42 “If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. 43 “If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell, 48 where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.”
Catena Nova
O brothers and sisters, do not deceive yourselves; let there be no sin that seems small in your eyes, and that you treat lightly, as though it did no great harm to our souls. Right-minded servants make no distinction between a small sin and a great; if they offend by so much as a glance, a thought, or a word, they feel as if they have fallen away from the love of God, and I believe this is true. (St. Symeon the New Theologian).
Shame, shame, on our human pride, our self-complacency, our self-centeredness, when we see how good God has been to us, how many gifts and graces he has given us — and not because he has to but because he wants to! Obtuse as we are, we seem not to see or feel this love so hot that, if we were made of stone, it would long ago have burst us open! (St. Catherine of Siena).
There is a difference between possessing poison and being poisoned. Pharmacists keep almost every kind of poison in stock for use on various occasions, yet they are not themselves poisoned because it is merely in their shops, not in their bodies. So, too, you can possess riches without being poisoned by them if you keep them in your home, purse or wallet, but not in your heart(St. Francis de Sales).
Any one who loves God is a living member of God’s Church. It doesn’t matter where or when that person lives....The Church is not only what it seems to be. It is not only a visible organization with buildings, a history, and a hierarchy. Nor is it simply authenticity, virtues, miracles and the like. We see more of it in the kind of half-light and shadow that contains all the saintliness that is hidden from us. Yes, the angels see it andrecognize that it is an underground foundation and support for what is seen and see that each person has within a kind of sanctuary which is a personal holy of holies. There a hidden incense of love and mercy is offered to God.... There is, so to speak, an immortalsubstance within each of us of which we aren’t aware any more than we are aware of the hidden ways the Divine Love walks to find and possess us. Wherever the love of God is, there is Jesus Christ. Wherever Jesus is, the Church is there with him.... The Church of God has for this reason a kind of invisible extension that no human eye can take in. Those who see only boundaries which appear, lack all idea of the twofold radiance which is its true nature. The Church that is Jesus Christ and all who labor knowingly or unknowingly in his name calls and raises up all who live the unselfish love of Jesus, wherever in the world they may be found. Do not seek to forbid them this labor. Show them the fullness of Christ so their labor may be yet more effective in advancing the Kingdom of God (Fr. Henri Lacordaire).
I came into the world. Free by nature, in the image of God, I was nevertheless the prisoner of my own violence and my own selfishness, in the image of the world into which I was born. That world was the picture of Hell, full of men like myself, loving God, and yet hating him; born to love him, living instead in fear of hopeless self-contradictory hungers(Thomas Merton).
Children are particularly vulnerable to mimetic interference. The child’s confident act of imitation always runs the risk of coming up against the desires of adults, in which case his models will be transformed into fascinating obstacles. As a consequence, to the extent that in his naïveté he is exposed to impressions from the adult world, the child is more easily and lastingly scandalized. The adult who scandalizes the child runs the risk of imprisoning him forever within the increasingly narrow circle of the model and the mimetic obstacle, the process of mutual destruction we have so often described. This process is directly opposed to the process of opening up, of welcoming others, which is life-giving(Rene Girard).
God gathered a people to himself in the Old Testament and in the fullness of time sent his Son to establish the Church as the sacrament of unity for all humanity. God calls each of us to belong to this great family. None of us become Christians on our own; we owe our relationship with God to so many others who passed on the faith, who brought us for Baptism, who taught us to pray and showed us the beauty of the Christian life: our parents and grandparents, our priests, religious and teachers. But we are Christians not only because of others, but together with others. Our relationship with Christ is personal, but not private; it is born of, and enriched by, the communion of the Church. Our shared pilgrimage is not always easy: at times, we encounter human weakness, limitations, and even scandal in the life of the Church. Yet God has called us to know him and to love him precisely by loving our brothers and sisters, by persevering in the fellowship of the Church and by seeking in all things to grow in faith and holiness as members of the one body of Christ(Pope Francis).
Homily
The apostle John would not be too happy these days with the successor of Peter — and for much the same reason he was troubled by those who did not follow Jesus. For Pope Francis on his trip earlier this month to several Asian countries ran afoul of those who want to have clear boundaries that mark out who's "in" and whose "out." Worse, that he made no insistence the "others" get on board the train he conducts.
For example, in Jakarta, Indonesia — the country with the largest Muslim population in the world — he lauded interfaith relations there saying,
I encourage you to continue along this path so that all of us, together, each cultivating his or her own spirituality and practicing his or her religion, may walk in search of God and contribute to building open societies, founded on reciprocal respect and mutual love, capable of protecting against rigidity, fundamentalism and extremism, which are always dangerous and never justifiable….the important fact [is] that the visible aspects of religions – the rites, practices and so on – are a heritage that must be protected and respected….the one root common to all religious sensitivities: [is] the quest for an encounter with the divine, the thirst for the infinite that the Almighty has placed in our hearts, the search for a greater joy and a life stronger than any type of death, which animates the journey of our lives and impels us to step out of ourselves to encounter God. Here, let us remember that by looking deeply, grasping what flows in the depths of our lives, the desire for fullness that dwells in the depths of our hearts, we discover that we are all brothers and sisters, all pilgrims, all on our way to God, beyond what differentiates us (September 5, 2024).
But what really got John's latter-day counterparts really upset were the following words to a gathering of young people in Singapore:
One of the things that has impressed me most about the young people here is your capacity for interfaith dialogue. This is very important because if you start arguing, “My religion is more important than yours...,” or “Mine is the true one, yours is not true....,” where does this lead? [Here a young person in the crowd answered, “Destruction”.] That is correct. All religions are paths to God. I will use an analogy, they are like different languages that express the divine. But God is for everyone, and therefore, we are all God’s children. “But my God is more important than yours!”. Is this true? There is only one God, and religions are like languages, paths to reach God. Some Sikh, some Muslim, some Hindu, some Christian. Understood? Yet, interfaith dialogue among young people takes courage. The age of youth is the age of courage, but you can misuse this courage to do things that will not help you. Instead, you should have courage to move forward and to dialogue. (September 13, 2024)
The objections to such statements — including some who are crying "heresy" — are also like Joshua complaining to Moses that Eldad and Medad were prophesying. He couldn't imagine such a thing since they weren’t part of the “in-group” that went with Moses to the meeting tent where the Lord bestowed the spirit on seventy elders. Joshua -- who had an “in” with Moses from his youth -- just couldn’t figure out how these people could receive the spirit without such “in-group” status. All he could say was,“Moses, my Lord, stop them”(I). While Moses, who knew the reason for Joshua’s narrow mind, replied,“Are you jealous for my sake?” Would that all the people of the LORD were prophets! Would that the LORD might bestow [the] spirit on them all!(I)
This more generous view of the Spirit was affirmed by no less than Pope John Paul II 26 years ago, almost to the day, during a general audience when he said,
though the routes taken may be different, there is but a single goal to which is directed the deepest aspiration of the human spirit as expressed in its quest for God [as well as] for the full meaning of human life….[which is an] 'effect of the Spirit of truth operating outside the visible confines of the Mystical Body' and which 'blows where it wills' …. It must first be kept in mind that every quest of the human spirit for truth and goodness, and in the last analysis for God, is inspired by the Holy Spirit. The various religions arose precisely from this primordial human openness to God. At their origins we often find founders who, with the help of God’s Spirit, achieved a deeper religious experience. Handed on to others, this experience took form in the doctrines, rites and precepts of the various religions….Because of the human spirit’s constitutive openness to God’s action of urging it to self-transcendence, we can hold that every authentic prayer is called forth by the Holy Spirit, who is mysteriously present in the heart of every person….the Holy Spirit offers to all the possibility of coming into contact, in a way known to God, with the paschal mystery (September 9, 1998)
Again, these words are those of a pope whom today's Joshuas and Johns would never accuse of heresy. And perhaps the most important of them are "in a way known to God." For in the end, the "mechanics" of salvation are not entirely known to us but remain hidden in the counsels of God's grace bestowedabundantlyon us as well as those "others" who are alsohastening to attain[God's] promises and madeheirs to the treasure of heaven(cf. Collect).
Intercessions (Joe Milner; The Sunday Website)
For the Church: that we may welcome the gift of the Spirit and be transformed by the Spirit’s work in us so that God’s mercy, compassion, and presence may be manifest to our world.
For freedom of spirit: that God will break the chains of jealousy and greed that work to claim our hearts and hold our society in bondage.
For all who exercise leadership in the Church: that the Spirit will give them clear insight into the wounds and weaknesses in the hearts of believers so that they may find new ways to connect with God.
For openness to the Spirit: that we may welcome all whom God calls to serve the community of faith in ministry and listen for the Spirit’s promptings about new forms and styles of service needed to meet the hungers of human hearts.
For all who have been cheated or defrauded of their income: that God will overturn the injustice and provide for their needs.
For a new understanding of money: that God will help us to recognize money as a means to fulfill our responsibilities rather than an end in itself.
For all children, particularly those who lack food, homes, or healthcare: that God will guide us in providing for these little ones.
For refugees and immigrants: that God will give them courage as they seek lives free of violence and intimidation, and that they may find a welcome in their new communities.
For the sick: that God will renew the gift of life within them and restore them to activity and health.
O God, protector of the poor and defender of the just, in your kingdom the last become first, the gentle are strong, and the lowly exalted. Give us wisdom from above, that we may find in your servant Jesus the pattern of true discipleship and the grace to persevere in following him, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen (ICEL; 1998).
Offertory Chant
Offertory Hymn (Herman G. Stuempfle, Jr.)
Many colors paint the rainbow, arching over land and sea May colors form the fabric of our human tapestry God, with joy and hope you made us, by a pattern you had planned Weaving varied threads together, with a skilled and loving hand.
Many peoples bring their treasures, as those kings who traveled far Drawn from all earth scattered places, back to Christ the morning star All may offer gifts to others, and from them receive in turn In the gathering of nations, help us God to teach and learn. Many faces round the table wait for Christ, the Risen Lord.
For he comes with love to meet us, in the Loaf, the Cup, the Word All are welcomed, none rejected, bound by Christ in unity Naming others sisters, brothers, in a world wide family.
Many voices sing God’s praises in their language all their own Tongues confused at Babel’s Tower now are joined around God’s throne Free our hearts of hate and discord, till our lives in concert blend Alleluia! Be our anthem without end.
Communion Antiphon
Closing Song (Graham Kendrick)
Beauty for brokenness Hope for despair Lord, in your suffering This is our prayer Bread for the children Justice, joy, peace Sunrise to sunset Your kingdom increase!
Shelter for fragile lives Cures for their ills Work for the craftsman Trade for their skills Land for the dispossessed Rights for the weak Voices to plead the cause Of those who can't speak
Friend of the weak Give us compassion we pray Melt our cold hearts Let tears fall like rain Come, change our love From a spark to a flame
Refuge from cruel wars Havens from fear Cities for sanctuary Freedoms to share Peace to the killing-fields Scorched earth to green Christ for the bitterness His cross for the pain
Friend of the weak Give us compassion we pray Melt our cold hearts Let tears fall like rain Come, change our love From a spark to a flame
Rest for the ravaged earth Oceans and streams Plundered and poisoned Our future, our dreams Lord, end our madness Carelessness, greed Make us content with The things that we need
Friend of the weak Give us compassion we pray Melt our cold hearts Let tears fall like rain Come, change our love From a spark to a flame
Lighten our darkness Breathe on this flame Until your justice Burns brightly again Until the nations Learn of your ways Seek your salvation And bring you their praise
Friend of the weak Give us compassion we pray Melt our cold hearts Let tears fall like rain Come, change our love From a spark to a flame
Friend of the weak Give us compassion we pray Melt our cold hearts Let tears fall like rain Come, change our love From a spark to a flame
