In today’s Scripture readings from Numbers and Mark, Joshua, Moses’ younger assistant, and John, the youngest of Jesus’ apostles, share an outlook toward others which is limiting and not helpful. They know who are in their group and who aren’t and they are quick to judgement and action when they see others moving in who are not part of the group.
In both instances, the perceived outsiders are using gifts of God to do God’s work: Eldad and Medad are prophesying and the exorcists John saw were using the name of Jesus to set people free. Joshua and John both wanted it stopped, while Moses and Jesus did not share their concern or their desire to bring it to an end. Being older and wiser, Moses and Jesus have a different mindset and understanding concerning the work of God.
These Scriptures present us with a question - Are we like Joshua and John or are we like Moses and Jesus? Do we approach life with an “us and them” attitude or are we open to others, especially those who are quite different from us, yet clearly close to God? Do we have too narrow of an idea of who God works in and through or are we open to be surprised and grateful for what God can do in and through others?
Jesus’ words in the second half of today’s gospel pose an even more crucial question to us - Are we determined and decisive when it comes to fighting sin in our lives? Jesus mentions hands and feet and eyes. The hands and feet speak to our sinful physical activity. The eyes concern the ways we sin in our mind and in our heart. Needless to say, Jesus was not calling for His first followers or for us to hack off limbs or gouge out eyes.
Rather, Jesus is telling us that we need to do whatever it takes to keep ourselves from sin. When we are honest with ourselves, and especially if we ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten us, we realize there are things in our lives that lead us to sin. Perhaps there are some relationships we have, or some places we go, or seemingly harmless things we do that we need to avoid. If we get angry often, we need to get help to understand the roots of the anger and how we can handle it better. If alcohol poses a serious problem for us, then we shouldn’t drink. Jesus’ hyperbolic way of speaking shows us that we have to rid ourselves of anything and everything that keeps us from being the person God wants us to be, especially if not doing so could land us in hell.
God is good and so we do not have to do this ourselves. God is ready and waiting and eager to help us to grow in holiness. We can seek God’s help by turning to the Holy Spirit for guidance, praying over and studying the Scriptures to know Jesus more, and relying on the sacraments for the sanctifying grace that will bear fruit within us. And all the while, we trust in God’s love and mercy every step of the way.
When we do all this, we will grow in holiness and be able to see God’s work in us and in others. Most importantly, at the end of our lives we will be welcomed into the joy of heaven. When we arrive there, perhaps we will be surprised to see who is there with us, for our God is a God of surprises.
Joshua and John learned from Moses and Jesus how God works in others in unexpected ways, and if we don’t learn that for ourselves here, in heaven we will see it in those there with us.
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