God for All and His Boundless Spirit

Homily of 26th Sunday in ordinary Time, Year B
Numbers 11:25-29, James 5:1-6, Mark 9:38-43,45,47-48

God gives gifts that we cannot force or obtain by human will. Even if we work or make some sacrifices before we get them, we are only privilege by grace to cooperate with what he has deign to do in us and through us. Excising divine gifts does not make us superior to others. Rather, it calls us to be careful and thankful, having been specially chosen to do what others would have loved to get but couldn’t or are still struggling to get.

When God took part of his spirit in Moses and poured it on the elders of Israel, they began to prophesy in the camp. Eldad and Medad, though enrolled, but not in the camp began to prophesy as well. However, when Joshua told Moses to stop them, he replied, “Are you jealous on my account? If only the whole people of the Lord were prophets, and the Lord gave his Spirit to them all!” [Numbers 11:25-29]

Moses was a good example for an inclusive and synodal church, which respects the fact that we are all God’s children, capable of exercising God’s mission on earth. We cannot say that outside the church, that there is no salvation. God is truth, He is present in all his creation. When we see him working in people, even outside our own fold, we should be able to recognize his finger.

Moreover, the spirit of God is not the prerogative of a particular set of people. He pours his spirit on all. All he wants is that we should all recognise Jesus, the one he has sent to save the world. In the Gospel of Mark, “John said to Jesus, ‘Master, we saw a man who is not one of us casting out devils in your name; and because he was not one of us we tried to stop him.’ But Jesus said, ‘You must not stop him: no one who works a miracle in my name is likely to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us.” Mark 9:38-43,45,47-48. God’s spirit cannot be put in a box.

Unfortunately, these days, there are many sects rising up as churches, but are not working for Christ. Some only put up the face of sheep but are bunch of ravenous wolves. While we should be careful on how we relate with them, we must not forget our role to protect the unity of believers. By our ministry of welcome, we can equally welcome those who are not in Christendom to find their way to the Lord Jesus Christ.

May our lives open the door of God’s kingdom to all and sundry. Amen.