Deacon Tom writes
“Envious Hearts”
Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B
Both Moses and St. Luke shed some light about a serious sin that we all experience from time to time, the sin of envy. In the spiritual realm this is such an insidious offense that it ranks as one of the seven deadly sins so named because they tend to inspire one to further sin. We hear today how Moses responds to a complaint brought to him by two of his tribesmen. What bothered them was that several others of their group were prophesying even though they had not been in their company when they received the “spirit. Moses sensed that a spirit of envy or jealousy was at work with those who lodged the complaint. Instead of chastising the two who had received the gift of prophesy while away from camp, instead he responds, “Would that all the people of the LORD were prophets! Would that the LORD might bestow his spirit on them all!"
In a similar way, the Apostles see that someone not in their group is casting out demons and report that to Jesus. Jesus wisely cautions his disciples “Do not prevent him.” Jesus knows that any good work done in his name will produce good fruit.
Very often our fragile human nature shows itself in the ugliest of ways. In these two incidents from Sacred Scripture we notice how one group of individuals is offended because others appear to have gotten something that they did not deserve. In the first reading the Spirit came to rest on the men who left camp and the “crowd” is upset with this; in the gospel a stranger was empowered to cast out demons without being an Apostle and again the “crowd” of disciples are offended. Envy is at work in both these events. In both instance the intention of those who complain is to get someone – Moses or Jesus – to issue a cease and desist order to the perceived antagonist. Rather than get their way, our teachers today hold a class that remains applicable for us today.
Our sequential, linear minds constantly seek to put God in a box. We want to control God. We want him to be predictable and to be fair; fair, that is, as we perceive fair to be. But God is above all our thinking and our wildest imagination. God’s ways are simply beyond us and we need to grow into that realization.
God is at work all around us, in all faiths, in all peoples, in all circumstances. God’s Spirit works in the hearts of the faithful everywhere. God is the reality through which we live, and move, and have our being. It is not jealousy that should fill our hearts when we see good being done, but rather a deep sense of awe at the wonders God is unfolding minute-by-minute, day-by-day all around us. Even by those who look, act, believe, and worship differently than we do. Better than keeping a jealous eye on what others appear to be doing is for us to act as those upon... whom God’s spirit has been bestowed.
Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom
Image from: zazzle.com
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