Cut it Off!

First Reading: NM 11:25-29

The LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses. Taking some of the spirit that was on Moses, the LORD bestowed it on the seventy elders; and as the spirit came to rest on them, they prophesied.

Now two men, one named Eldad and the other Medad, were not in the gathering but had been left in the camp. They too had been on the list, but had not gone out to the tent; yet the spirit came to rest on them also, and they prophesied in the camp. So, when a young man quickly told Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp, " Joshua, son of Nun, who from his youth had been Moses’aide, said, "Moses, my lord, stop them."

But Moses answered him, "Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the people of the LORD were prophets! Would that the LORD might bestow his spirit on them all!"

Responsorial Psalm:  PS 19:8, 10, 12-13, 14

Second Reading: JAS 5:1-6

Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries. Your wealth has  away, your clothes have become moth-eaten, your gold and silver have c and that corrosion will be a testimony against you; it will devour your flesh like a fire. You have stored up treasure for the last days. Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers who harvested your fields are crying aloud; and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure; you have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter. You have condemned; you have murdered the righteous one; he offers you no resistance.

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 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.'"

Reflection:

Have you seen the movie "127 Hours"? It tells the true story of a mountain climber's remarkable adventure to save himself after a boulder crashes on his arm and traps him in an isolated canyon somewhere in Utah.

Aron Ralston was hiking through a canyon and while he was descending, a suspended boulder fell and crushed his right hand against the canyon wall. He had not informed anyone of his hiking plans, so no one would  be searching for him.

When his small supply of food and water had run out, he faced two choices - cut off his arm so his body would be free to live, or keep his arm and have his whole body die because a small part of it was captive. With just a blunt pen knife and a basic first-aid kit, he managed to saw through his lower arm and was set free.

His trapped arm was his "difficulty" (Mk 9:43). Although his arm is just a small part of his body, it prevented his entire body from being free.

So too in our faith, if we are captive in even a small part our life, we can be spiritually paralyzed. If we can cut out jealousy, deceit, unforgiveness, anger, pride, gossip, vices, hunger for money and power, we will be set free!

What other things hold us captive? Let us make the cut and be free!

Prayer

Lord, forgive me for giving a place in my heart to resentment, anger, and things that make me captive to sin. Come, Jesus Christ, and take Your rightful place in my heart. Amen.