FIRST READING
“Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets.”
A reading from the Book of Numbers (Numbers 11 :25-29)
In those days: The Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses, and took some of the spirit that was upon him and put it upon the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did so no more. Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested upon them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” And Joshua the son of Nun, the minister of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, “My lord Moses, forbid them.” But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!”
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm19:7.9.11- 12.13 (R. 8ab)
R. The precepts of the Lord are right; they gladden the heart.
The law of the Lord is perfect;
it revives the soul.
The decrees of the Lord are steadfast;
they give wisdom to the simple. R.
The fear of the Lord is pure,
abiding for ever.
The judgements of the Lord are true;
they are, all of them, just. R.
R. The precepts of the Lord are right; they gladden the heart.
So in them your servant finds instruction;
great reward is in their keeping.
But who can detect their own errors?
From hidden faults acquit me. R.
From presumption restrain your servant;
may it not rule me.
Then shall I be blameless,
clean from grave sin. R.
SECOND READING
“Your riches have rotted.”
A reading from the Letter of Saint James (James 5 : 1-6)
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure for the last days. Behold, the wages of the labourers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived on the earth in luxury and in pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned, you have killed the righteous man; he does not resist you.
The word of the Lord.
ALLELUIA John 17:17ba
Alleluia. Your word, O Lord, is truth; sanctify us in the truth. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“He that is not against us is for us. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mark 9:38-43.45.47-48)
At that time: John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him; for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is for us. For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ, will by no means 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 hung round his neck and he were thrown into the sea. And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.”
The Gospel of the Lord
Today’s Reflection
We learn from today’s Gospel that heaven is for those who can go through the process of cutting off. While the world strives to preserve life with its consumerist world-view, we strive to cut off, in order to gain heaven. To reach heaven we must learn to cut ourselves off part by part, day by day, until nothing of ourselves remains but everything of God. In other words, we must cut off pride for humility to grow; cut off egoism that altruism may grow; cut off lust that love may prosper; cut off laziness to give way to hard work. We must cut off anger that there may be inner peace; cut off the noisy world that silence may be heard; cut off negative friendship or influence to give way to authentic companions. It is in dying to vices that we cultivate virtues. Virtues give us the strength to move close to God. When we succeed in cutting off the unwanted elements, heaven becomes a living reality here and now. Our life on earth becomes a foretaste of heaven.