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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.”
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.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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“Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him.”
Why on earth would John – or any of the Apostles – try to stop someone from doing a good deed? Casting out a demon from a possessed person would not only lead to immense relief for the possessed, it would also glorify God!
And yet, “We tried to prevent him.”
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Though they bear the authority of Christ, the Apostles are already starting to experience an attachment – even an entitlement – to Christ’s power, as if it’s all about them.
This can still be a temptation for people involved in leadership or parish ministry today. We can quickly become so attached to authority, as if it’s ours, that it makes us afraid to either share it or give it up.
This is not only true amongst the clergy, but also the laity.
As a result, new ideas are quickly squashed; ministries become exclusive; the Church looks more like a “club” than a welcoming family.
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“Do not prevent him,” Jesus says. In fact, do not prevent anyone from doing good!
Because this is how the kingdom of God grows – when new people are welcomed, new ideas are expressed, responsibility is shared, and good deeds multiply.
As we often sing together on Sundays, “All are welcome in this place!”
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Image credits: (1) Tricycle: The Buddhist Review (2) Buckhannon Alliance Church (3) Salem United Methodist Church, Facebook