Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Marcos 9:38-50

Rev. Neli Miranda

 

Last Sunday, we reflected on Jesus’ teaching about welcoming the little ones, the vulnerable within his community. By embracing a child, a little one, Jesus taught the twelve the essence of humility and compassion and urged them to prioritize caring for the marginalized over seeking power and glory.

In today’s reading, we witness the continued lack of understanding of Jesus’ teachings among the twelve. They persist in upholding their positions of power and exclusivity rather than internalizing Jesus’ message. This time, they have attempted to stop someone acting in Jesus’ name, as recounted by John on behalf of the twelve: “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” (9:38).

In Jesus’ mission, casting out demons means healing the sick, liberating the afflicted, and bringing good news to those in need. The person the disciples tried to stop is doing exactly what Jesus calls his followers to do. In the preceding passages, we learn that Jesus appointed twelve disciples to accompany him, giving them the authority to cast out demons, heal, and liberate people. The individual John refers to is healing in Jesus’ name, extending the Kingdom of God to those in need. However, the disciples seek to obstruct him because he does not belong to their group, as John points out: “He was not following us.” The twelve perceive themselves as the exclusive community of Jesus, believing they are the only ones authorized to proclaim the Kingdom of God and cast out demons. This “official group of disciples” attempts to monopolize Jesus’ name under their sole authority. Their actions raise questions about their understanding of greatness and their reluctance to embrace others who act in Jesus’ name. Some biblical scholars see here an early power conflict that arose between the official authority, the twelve, and other groups of Jesus’ followers, outside of the official coverage, who were also carrying out the mission entrusted by Jesus.

Immediately, Jesus instructs the twelve not to stop that person who is performing acts of liberation in his name, saying “Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me.  Whoever is not against us is for us” (9,39-40).  Acts done in Jesus’ name embody the values of the Kingdom of God—service, generosity, solidarity, humility, forgiveness—reflecting his message and honoring his name.

Today, Are we, like the twelve, confining Jesus’ message within the walls of our church’s traditions? How do we judge those outside our Christian circle who act in Jesus’ name?

The Kingdom of God transcends the boundaries of our churches, with many people outside our faith community acting in Jesus’ name. These people, irrespective of their religious labels, demonstrate the essence of Jesus’ teachings through their actions. They are feeding the hungry, healing the sick, caring for orphans and the homeless, rescuing animals, defending nature. Some of them are not called Christians, but they act in Jesus’ name and make present the Kingdom of God among us. Let us give thanks for their lives and support them.

May Jesus guide us away from arrogance and the pursuit of power and control, instilling in us the mission of manifesting the Kingdom of God among the world. Let us heed Jesus’ call to care for the vulnerable among us and carry out acts in his name. Amen.