God has not Forsaken us for we are partners of His Mission

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time: September 26, 2021

Readings: Numbers 11:25–29; Psalm 19:8,10,12–14; James 5:1–6; Mark 9:38–48

(Picture courtesy: Jean-Marc Arakelian)
To listen to my audio reflections, please click here

The world is suffering and humanity is struggling. Often the wars are not fought on the battlefields but in one's heart and in one's consciousness. The more one goes into conquering that does not belong to him or her, the more jealousy or envy begins to enter into one's heart. The disease of fragmentation causes humanity to be fragmented more and more. All of us are in some way or the other part of this illness. We live in disunity within ourselves because of our ills, failures and inadequacies. Envy and jealousy seem to be deep-rooted in us in spite of our ever readiness to enter into a spiritual realm of prayer, liturgy, meditation and even contemplation. The Bible is full of stories of envy and jealousy. For example, Cain and Abel, Joseph and his brothers, David and Saul and so on. The list is endless. World literature narrates to us major tragedies caused due to jealousy and envy.

1. Jealousy is not the answer for our climbing!

The liturgical readings for this Sunday point exactly to this fragmentation which the world suffers from. In other words, humanity is struggling with. In the book of Numbers (11:25–29) we read a young man's soul was disturbed when he saw the two stray men, one named Eldad and the other Medad began prophesying but did not belong to the camp of Moses. In the Old Testament, there were many prophets at a time. Sometimes, in groups people prophesized. The answer of Moses is startling. 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?" (Nm 11:25-29). Jealousy seems to have ripped apart the camp of Moses. But Moses looks at the will of God and says: "Would that all the people of the Lord were prophets! Would that the Lord might bestow his spirit on them all!" (Nm 11:25-29). Moses is so generous and gentle towards others. He wants the Spirit of the Lord to come down upon everyone. Thus they may prophesy. Others too have a place in Lord's vineyard. If Moses had listened to his people he would have denied the rightful place of Eldad and Medad as God's creation. In fact, they were saved from jealousy of Joshua.

Jesus uses a beautiful line in order to safeguard the sanity of the disciples when they too confronted with the same kind of envy. "For he that is not against us is for us" (Mark 9:40), Jesus says to his disciples. In the name of Jesus many were capable of driving out the demons including those who did not belong to the camp of Jesus. This irks and pricks John, the disciple. Jesus has a piece of advice here. Those who do the good deeds in the name of Jesus also belong to him. They are not traitors or enemies. In fact, they too are part of his mission of healing. 

2. Jealousy at the face of one's powerlessness

Jesus takes seriously jealousy among his disciples. He teaches them to look at the realities of the world in a broader perspective. It is not only a few who belong to him but others as well. In fact, Jesus makes a lengthy argument to convince his disciples. He says that if something causes you to sin or feel jealous then the person must cut that part off; it may be your hand or feet or even your eyes! The angelic doctor, St Thomas Aquinas puts so well while describing envy. He says, "envy is an irrational anger at the success of others." That is what exactly happens to John and other disciples. They felt defeated because they could not drive out demons like many others who were not the disciples. There is also a humiliating experience recorded in the scriptures where disciples could not drive the evil spirit from a boy. They were powerless. This is how it is written after Jesus healed that boy. "Afterward the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” (Matthew 17:19; Mark 9:14-29; Luke 9: 37-45). 

In our secular as well as in the religious (Church) world this is exactly what happens today. What is seemingly allowed, the cutthroat competition, backstabbing in the secular and lay world we see in our ecclesial structures. Unfortunately, we, Christians are not immune from this disease. Whenever a name comes up for the bishopric quickly letters with negative reports and feedback go up to the Vatican to tell how bad the candidate is. Whenever a name is proposed to the provincialship, within no time in order to bring his or her name down the false propaganda is switched on! 

Recently, the clerics and laypeople even wrote their displeasure in the social and mass media in spite of the Holy Father's approval of a bishop. In our Church, there are various ways to communicate the disagreements in a gentle and prudent manner.  How many in our religious congregations and orders and ecclesial power structures try to destroy other persons by giving biased and revengeful feedback? How many incidents we don't see taking out their revenge at the time of alleviation of the other person, perhaps at the time of ordination, the profession of vows or the job of authority? In place of gratitude, envy and revenge take their primary place in such important moments of one's life. We don't want to see other courteous ways of voicing out our displeasure or disagreements that is suitable for religious people.  Gore Vidal, an American novelist characterizes envy as "when a friend of mine succeeds, something in me dies." It's almost saying the success of the other is a failure of mine. That is why an attitude of let me punch. How true it is indeed!

3. One who is jealous is not in love

Our religious ecclesial world often time follows the tagline of Onida company: "neighbour's envy, owner's pride." Such evil and crookedness has entered into our lives. St Augustine puts it so succinctly, "one who is jealous is not in love." People, who serve God and His neighbour first must look at one's consciousness and evaluate whether my jealousy is overtaking me? Is my anger or frustration is destroying the other person's life and career? Only a broken person can break the other person. Only a disgruntled person, can bring disharmony with himself and with others. Only an unhappy man can bring sorrow to himself and to others, only an unfulfilled person can empty oneself and others, only a destroyer can project his incapableness at the success of others. The list can go on. When jealousy overtakes, our spiritual life stumbles with the disorder, decay and disintegration so violently.  Moreover, looking too much at the success of others, I tend to die myself within. 

There is always a struggle going on within us. I don't want to change but I want to appear better. What can I do to get that position? The devil works in perfect synchrony with the heart which is longing to get that position. Envy always has to do with the past. The revenge belongs to the future. How best I can take revenge for what has happened in the past, so that now I can crush that person because the opportunity is at my doorstep. We easily condemn others whether really we know or not or think that they seemingly "don't follow the rules." Jesus encourages us to look more deeply for the effects of the Spirit's working, rather than the externals. 

4. Create in me a clean heart to be bountiful of God's graces!

Quite often we have so much filth in our hearts and consciousness that does not allow us to receive the graces that we need. God changes us but we are not ready to change. Over the period of our lives, changes do take place. We cannot remain the same. God's grace works in us always. "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me" the Psalmist (51:10) says. Perhaps we may have to add another line here, "create in me a clean heart, which can see the beautiful things in the lives of others." Only when our heart is clean, we are happy and joyful. When we have venom in our heart then there is neither success in our hands nor peace in our hearts and minds. 

These above lines could be summarised beautifully in the words of prophet Haggai: 

"You have sown much, but have brought in little; 

you have eaten, but have not been satisfied; 

You have drunk, but have not been exhilarated; 

have clothed yourselves, but not been warmed; 

And he who earned wages earned them for a bag with holes in it. (Haggai 1:6)

Envy is related to ambition and we could put it as its brother. When you put someone down, you are putting yourself up. St James writes: "For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice (James 3:16). Envy is a capital sin in our religion. Cruelty comes up in our head and heart. We don't want someone getting ahead of us. Nip in the bud we say.  It is a war within oneself. When jealousy sprouts you lose yourself and the best attitude of your heart that is gratitude is lost forever. 

5. We work for the Lord together in the mission

We have been speaking about Jesus' self-sacrifice and unlimited love in our reflections recently. In the eyes of God, everyone is a privileged person. No one owns God's domain. No one can protect the purity of the Lord's name other than God who has bestowed that grace to that person. If one does so then he is only guarding his own privilege and status. That is why the Psalmist prays today "cleanse me from my unknown faults" (Psalm 19:12). Oftentimes, without noticing it in order to cloak our failings, fears, and ambitions under the guise of our desire to defend our congregation and our church we fail badly before the Lord.  "The Spirit blows where it wills" (John 3:8), and God knows what is best for us and needed for us. Our job is to lead our lives worthy of our calling as disciples. St Paul says: "For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love" (Ephesians 1:4). God's grace and God's gifts do not always come in the pathways we always expect.

As God's coworkers, there should be no room for jealousy amongst us. In God's name, we don't own patent rights. There must not be a place for personal agendas and ambitions. We move towards the union with God collectively. We are called to help each other, to stay on track and keep up the face and move forward.  Let us imitate what Mother Teresa said: "It is not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving." That must matter us most as we try to purify ourselves from envy, jealousy, revenge and selfishness.

Questions for reflections
1. Does the advice we give, or the example of our actions, give scandal—causing others to doubt or lose faith? 
2. How do I understand "doing God's will" when I try to communicate or report with my superiors about others?
3. The easiest way to begin that journey is for us to recognize the problem. Why am I so judgmental, bias and revengeful? Why do I seek to have more, to look like I'm better than others? 

4. Why does justice or care for those on the margins come with difficulty? What causes me to sin? What underlying unfreedom is in me? 

Prayer:

Dear Lord, fill my heart with your love. And, then, open my heart to love the way you love. Open my heart to those who are different from me, difficult for me, to those who have hurt me. Let me see, or at least believe, that your own Spirit is with them, in them, somehow. Let me believe that there is a path to you from every human heart - even the most sinful, those who are most insecure and difficult. Transform me from a person who collects things for my security or status and help me become an instrument of your justice, a real advocate for those in need. I ask this, trusting in your Spirit's work within me. Amen.

- Olvin Veigas, SJ

September 23, 2021