TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Gospel: Lk 16: 19-31
Jesus said to the Pharisees: “There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered w
Gospel: Mk 9: 38-43. 45. 47-48
At that time, John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him.
There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us. Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward. “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, where ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’”
APPRECIATING GOD’S GIFTS IN OTHERS: When a person is trying to live a good Christian life, we should be proud of this person, who is a model of Christianity. It is a blessing when another person’s way of life challenges us to improve our Christian life. We offend God when we are jealous of those who do good. This is shown when Moses reprimands Joshua for being jealous because Eldad and Medad were prophesying (Num 11:25-29). Jesus too, rebukes the apostles when they become jealous of a person who is driving out demons using the name of Jesus. He tells his apostles, anyone using my name to do good is one of you. They should not be jealous of a person using the name of Jesus to do good (Mark 9:38-48). Let us not try to limit God’s operations. How do we feel when a non-Catholic helps more than ourselves?
PRAYER: Help me Lord not to be jealous when I see a non-Christian using your name to do good.
DAILY GOSPEL 