May 21 2024 5 mins
Wednesday 7th week in ordinary time "Mk 9:38-40"
John said to him, "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." The Apostles saw someone preaching in Jesus' Name and, because he hadn't been 'officially appointed', they wanted to stop him. But to become an apostle we don't need a diploma. Jesus sent everyone to "go into all the world and preach the gospel" (Mk 16:15). There are many ways to proclaim the Gospel. God doesn't expect the same things of everyone. He has different missions, charisms and talents for different people. We don't need to approve or understand someone else's mission. We just need to fulfil ours. The same Apostle, St John, became himself one day the object of suspicion. At the end of his Gospel he mentions how Our Lord called Peter to Him. 'Peter turned and saw following them the disciple whom Jesus loved [John himself]... When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?" Jesus said to him, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!"' In other words: 'I don't have to explain to you the vocation of the others. You mind your own business!' This is a very interesting lesson of Our Lord because often the sufferings of saints came, not from a lack of understanding from Jesus' enemies, but from His own disciples. Suspicions that arose from the fact that they are not like 'us'. Fr Josef Kentenich was removed from Schoenstatt, the institution he had founded, due to slanders against his person and a misunderstanding about his institution. Previously he had spent 4 years in Dachau during WW2. But when he recalled those times, he confessed that the years he was removed from Schoenstatt were more painful than his experience in the concentration camp. In 1965 (after 15 years), everything was proved to be false and he could return to his rightful place. His 'detractors' were 'good Christians' who had their own opinion about his apostolate. Let us ask Our Lady for her to reassure those who suffer this kind of 'internal misunderstanding'.
John said to him, "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." The Apostles saw someone preaching in Jesus' Name and, because he hadn't been 'officially appointed', they wanted to stop him. But to become an apostle we don't need a diploma. Jesus sent everyone to "go into all the world and preach the gospel" (Mk 16:15). There are many ways to proclaim the Gospel. God doesn't expect the same things of everyone. He has different missions, charisms and talents for different people. We don't need to approve or understand someone else's mission. We just need to fulfil ours. The same Apostle, St John, became himself one day the object of suspicion. At the end of his Gospel he mentions how Our Lord called Peter to Him. 'Peter turned and saw following them the disciple whom Jesus loved [John himself]... When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?" Jesus said to him, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!"' In other words: 'I don't have to explain to you the vocation of the others. You mind your own business!' This is a very interesting lesson of Our Lord because often the sufferings of saints came, not from a lack of understanding from Jesus' enemies, but from His own disciples. Suspicions that arose from the fact that they are not like 'us'. Fr Josef Kentenich was removed from Schoenstatt, the institution he had founded, due to slanders against his person and a misunderstanding about his institution. Previously he had spent 4 years in Dachau during WW2. But when he recalled those times, he confessed that the years he was removed from Schoenstatt were more painful than his experience in the concentration camp. In 1965 (after 15 years), everything was proved to be false and he could return to his rightful place. His 'detractors' were 'good Christians' who had their own opinion about his apostolate. Let us ask Our Lady for her to reassure those who suffer this kind of 'internal misunderstanding'.