TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

MASS READINGS

A reading of the holy Gospel according to 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.'"

REFLECTION

If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.

And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off.

And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.

In last Sunday's Gospel the teaching was to be meek and humble rather than envious, prejudicial or selfish.

Today, John noted that there were some who did not follow Jesus but were casting out demons in His name. And Jesus said that if they are doing a mighty deed for Him, then they would not speak ill of Him. So for whoever was not against Him, was for Him.

Sometimes we are so quick to criticize that we act Pharisean. We see what others are doing and find fault in their work, appearance, or approach. But when we are confronted with our own misdeeds, sinfulness and bad decisions, we lose the outrage or the anger. We can be more forgiving, rationalizing and downplaying when it comes to us, family or close friends.

So why the example of avoiding the near occasion of sin with our eyes, hands or feet? All these can get us to places where we can sin. Sometimes we may not see the sin, will justify the sin or promise to do better next time. Our eyes sometimes will make excuses for seeing "naughty pictures" or our hands click on a rated R movie, or we continue with our subscription to a cable network and say we will not watch a particular channel that promotes homosexuality or blasphemes Jesus and Mary but will continue with the subscription because there are some good shows on other channels. Our feet can get us in trouble by where they take us such as a club where you can get in trouble socially or drinking too much.

There are many instances where we compromise with God's teachings and flirt with the devil. We need to remember that we are all sinners and not one of us can raise our hands and say we lead exemplary lives. Some of us might be holier than others but we still need to persevere in avoiding sin, helping others in charity to avoid sin and pray for the Holy Spirit to guide us away from evil.

God Bless You