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Manila Bulletin devider Opinion devider Do not prevent him

Do not prevent him

Published Feb 23, 2022 12:05 am

REFLECTIONS TODAY

Reflections today

In the Book of Numbers, Eldad and Medad are described as having prophesied among the Israelites despite the fact that they were not in the gathering of 70 elders when Moses bestowed the spirit on them. Joshua asked Moses to stop them, but Moses reminded his overzealous lieutenant that he was perfectly happy with the fact that Eldad and Medad had received the spirit even if they were not in the company of the elders. The Lord bestows his spirit to whom he wishes. Indeed, would that all Israelites were prophets! (11:26-30).
Moses’ magnanimity of heart, his lack of sense of self-importance, is shared by Jesus. Joshua’s narrow-mindedness is echoed this time by John and his fellow apostles who would prevent an outsider to exorcise demons with the authority of Jesus. They are zealous of the authority of Jesus as well as their own because Jesus had shared his authority with them. But Jesus rejects this exclusivity: “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.”
We should thank God for the gifts and the opportunity to be of service to him and to the community. We should, however, watch out against an exaggerated opinion of our own importance. We may be God’s instruments, but so are many others! Like Moses, how we wish all were God’s instruments!

FIRST READING • Jas 4:13-17

Beloved: Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we shall go into such and such a town, spend a year there doing business, and make a profit” — you have no idea what your life will be like tomorrow. You are a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears. Instead you should say, “If the Lord wills it, we shall live to do this or that.” But now you are boasting in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So for one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, it is a sin.

Gospel • MARK 9:38-40

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.” 39Jesus 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. 40For whoever is not against us is for us.”

SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2022,” ST. PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.

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