Krabby Patty

26th Sunday In Ordinary Time
27 September 2009


We are God’s people, the sheep of his flock: come, let us worship him, alleluia.

First reading Numbers 11:25-29
The Lord came down in the Cloud. He spoke with Moses, but took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. When the spirit came on them they prophesied, but not again.

Two men had stayed back in the camp; one was called Eldad and the other Medad. The spirit came down on them; though they had not gone to the Tent, their names were enrolled among the rest. These began to prophesy in the camp. The young man ran to tell this to Moses, ‘Look,’ he said ‘Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.’ Then said Joshua the son of Nun, who had served Moses from his youth, ‘My Lord Moses, stop them!’ Moses answered him, ‘Are you jealous on my account? If only the whole people of the Lord were prophets, and the Lord gave his Spirit to them all!’

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 18:8,10,12-14

Second reading James 5:1-6
An answer for the rich. Start crying, weep for the miseries that are coming to you. Your wealth is all rotting, your clothes are all eaten up by moths. All your gold and your silver are corroding away, and the same corrosion will be your own sentence, and eat into your body. It was a burning fire that you stored up as your treasure for the last days. Labourers mowed your fields, and you cheated them – listen to the wages that you kept back, calling out; realise that the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. On earth you have had a life of comfort and luxury; in the time of slaughter you went on eating to your heart’s content. It was you who condemned the innocent and killed them; they offered you no resistance.

Gospel Mark 9:38-43,45,47-48
John said to Jesus, ‘Master, we saw a man who is not one of us casting out devils in your name; and because he was not one of us we tried to stop him.’ But Jesus said, ‘You must not stop him: no one who works a miracle in my name is likely to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us.

‘If anyone gives you a cup of water to drink just because you belong to Christ, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward.

‘But anyone who is an obstacle to bring down one of these little ones who have faith, would be better thrown into the sea with a great millstone round his neck. And if your hand should cause you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life crippled, than to have two hands and go to hell, into the fire that cannot be put out. And if your foot should cause you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life lame, than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye should cause you to sin, tear it out; it is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell where their worm does not die nor their fire go out.’

Reflection
By Fidji Rivera - Sarmiento

During my first few weeks here in the US, I remember Filipino teachers who have gone here before us telling me, "Sana konti lang ang katrabaho mo'ng Pinoy, mainam pa puro foreigners." You would hear this more than once in every gathering. I would just nod and smile, not understanding why that would be their usual wish. Since for me, it will be better if there are more Filipinos in the building, because that would mean more mentors, and a stronger support system. Until weeks became months, and months have become a year, I can now say that I have fully understood what these veteran teachers meant. True enough, stories of how talangka mentality destroys working relationships among Filipino teachers in buildings circle around gatherings. Teacher A questioning Teacher B's competency; Teacher V is condescending to Teacher W; Teacher X spreading rumors about Teacher Y. Sad but true. And of course, to accompany this is the Filipinos' favorite past time - tsismisan. This situation is nothing new. We have heard this in so many places and situations, in the Philippines and abroad. It is funny that when you Google crab mentality, predicted phrases include crab mentality and the Filipino. Has this mentality been ours like the jeepney and the carabao?

Crab mentality, envy, jealousy, and rumor mongering. This is the recipe of a miserable life and a way to perfectly kill your own person. It is not unscrupulous to aspire for the best position in every situation that we are in, be it in the workplace, in the classroom, in a competition, or in politics. It is the manner by which we reach that summit. Let us stop being like crabs who pull each other down in order to climb up. Every time I'll cook crabs, it amazes me how each crab, would want to go out the pot, pinch and pull each other down, and step at each other's carapaces. It has become their dance routine, and hopefully we can put a stop to this as being a Filipino trait. Let us, the new generation, begin the overhaul of how we are known for.







Blessed Mother,
Guide us into a life of contentment and joy. Help us not to be envious of our neighbor. Pray for us, dear Mother, that we become like you, always trusting the Lord's will for our own lives. May our mouths be filled with beautiful things to say about ourselves, others, and most importantly, about God's glory. Amen.




Next week on God-speak
(TBA)