Greeting (See 1 Cor 12:4-7)
There is a variety of gifts, but
they come from the same Spirit, all sorts of service, but to the same Lord, many
forms of work, but all of them, in all people, the work of the same God. In
each one the Spirit manifests himself for the good of all. May the Lord Jesus
give you this Spirit and always be with you. R/ And also with you.
Introduction
1. No
Monopoly on the Spirit How easily we mistrust those who are different from
us, of other races, peoples, political ideas or religions.... We label them and
judge them without taking into account who they are, their stories, the good
they do... But here comes Jesus, whose heart beats for all, and tells us that
we have to be open-minded and unprejudiced, and recognize all the good in
others and in their works, whoever they are. It is the same Spirit who works in
us and in all those who do good. May the Lord open our minds and hearts today.
2.
Many Gifts, One Spirit
A strong curse
of humanity is its clannishness: my family or clan first, and the others do not
count; my country above all, my tribe or race and not the rest, my social
clique and I look down on the rest; even my religion, for the others are
heretics or pagans. Hence wars, rivalries, condemnations. Where is the
universality of the Church? Do we accept the Spirit working everywhere? That is
what Jesus wants us to do. Let us ask him in this Eucharist to open our minds
and hearts to all and to recognize his Spirit doing good wherever people seek
what is right and just, whether they know it or not.
Penitential
Act
1. No
Monopoly on the Spirit
Let us ask the
Lord to forgive us our jealousies, our prejudices, our small-mindedness.
(pause) Lord Jesus, your Spirit blows where he wants; he inspires and moves
many: Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, your
Spirit generously pours out his gifts on whoever is open to his breath of life:
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, your
Spirit gives wisdom and insight where and when we least expect it: Lord, have
mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Have mercy on
us, Lord, and forgive us our sins of self-sufficiency and intolerance. Open us
to the force of your Spirit and lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.
2. Many
Gifts, One Spirit
Let us ask the
Lord to forgive us that we have been narrow-minded. (pause)
Lord Jesus, you
want us to be free. Open the boundaries of our minds and hearts: Lord, have
mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ,
open our eyes to the humble and to the poor, to people on whom we have looked
down: Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus,
make us see with you all the good there is in people, even if they are
different from us: Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Have mercy on
us all, Lord, and forgive us our sins. Make us one in you and lead us to
everlasting life. R/ Amen.
Opening
Prayer
Let us pray
that the Spirit of God may be alive in us and in all people (pause)
God our Father,
pour out on us and on all people the life-giving Spirit of your Son. Let him
open our minds, that we may see your beauty and truth in an ever-new light. Let
him open our hearts that we may receive from him every day a fresh provision of
courage. Let him pour out in all people a love that is respectful and tolerant.
All this we dare to ask you in the name of Christ Jesus our Lord. R/
Amen.
First
Reading: Numbers 11:25-29: No Monopoly on God’s Gifts!
The Spirit of
God inspired not only Moses but also others. God’s gifts are for the good of
all, not to be jealously guarded by a few.
Second
Reading: James 5:1-6: Riches are a Responsibility
In no uncertain
terms, James warns the rich in goods and talents that on the day of judgment
their possessions will testify against them if they have not been used well for
others.
Gospel: Mark
9:38-43, 45, 47-48: Appreciate the Good Others Do
Jesus
teaches his disciples to appreciate the good done by others, whoever they are,
and never to give scandal.
Intercessions
Let us pray to
the Father of all for all people far and near, known and unknown, and let us
say:
R/ Lord,
your kingdom come to all.
– For the
Church we love, that it may bring forgiveness and love to all, welcome all,
care for all, inspire all with the gentle power of the Holy Spirit, let us
pray:
R/
Lord, your kingdom come to all.
– For political
leaders, bankers and economists, that they may be concerned about rich and poor
alike, and let all people and nations have a just share in the riches of this
earth, let us pray:
R/
Lord, your kingdom come to all.
– For people
who are persecuted for their faith, for prophets inspired by the Spirit who
remind us in season and out of season of what is really important in the eyes
of God, let us pray:
R/
Lord, your kingdom come to all.
– For
lawmakers, that the Spirit may prompt them to make good laws that are fair to
all; for those who promote justice and freedom that people may respond to their
efforts, let us pray:
R/ Lord, your kingdom come to all.
– For outcasts
and victims of discrimination, that our communities may accept them fully and
make our love so spontaneous and warm that they feel accepted and at home among
us, let us pray:
R/ Lord, your kingdom come to all.
Father, make
our love as generous and wide as the love you have shown us in Jesus. Let your
Spirit open us to all. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer
over the Gifts
Our God and
Father, you invite us to eat with your Son his meal of communion and peace. Pour
out on us gathered here the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ, that we may all be one
and cooperate with all people of goodwill to stand up with courage for freedom
and justice everywhere. May your Spirit work thus in all to offer you glory and
praise forever. R/ Amen.
Introduction
to the Eucharistic Prayer
Gathered with
our Lord Jesus Christ, let us give thanks to the Father for uniting us by his
Holy Spirit as one Church and one voice of praise to God.
Introduction
to the Lord’s Prayer
With all the
variety of our personalities and tasks, let us be one in the Holy Spirit to
pray to our Father the prayer of Jesus: R/ Our Father...
Deliver
Us
Deliver us,
Lord, from every evil and grant us peace in our day. In your mercy keep us free
from our self-opinionated ways, our clannishness and jealousies. Make us
recognize and appreciate whatever good there is in people as we wait together
in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ. R/ For the
kingdom...
Invitation
to Communion
This is the
Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Happy are we to be invited to
eat the Lord’s body and to receive his Holy Spirit of strength and unity. R/
Lord, I am not worthy...
Prayer
after Communion
God our Father,
you send us out into the world by the strength of the Holy Spirit given us here
in this Eucharist by you and by your Son. Let him blow not only in us but in
whomever he wills and in the direction you want us to go, toward your future
and your kingdom of integrity, truth and love. Grant us this through Christ our
Lord. R/ Amen.
Blessing
It was already
the wish of Moses that the whole people of God could be a prophetic people inspired
by God’s Spirit. Christ made us a people filled with his Holy Spirit. May this
Spirit guide us to renew this world and may we recognize him at work in all the
good done by people. May almighty God bless you all: the Father, and the Son,
and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.
May Christ fill
you with his Spirit to keep you united in love. R/ Thanks be to God.
Commentary
Let you not end up in the garbage bin
The disciples
of Jesus are confronted by a huge confusion: How can someone who does not
follow us, who does not belong to our group, perform the same wonders or even
greater ones that were copyrighted to us? If someone successfully occupies the
field where we are called to carry out our mission, is there cause for
rejoicing or concern? Who is authorized to use the name of Jesus? To whom has
he bestowed his Spirit, the power that heals every disease? John and his
companions are not happy because the other person does not belong to their
group.
How do we
understand who is with us and who is against us? At certain moments, we
Christians feel that we are the only beloved children of God and people who do
not belong to our group and our religion are outsiders who cannot be in the
love and mercy of God.
But on our
journey, as we look up and look around, we realise that there are many
generous, sincere, well-disposed companions walking alongside us. We did not
see them because we have been looking through the coloured glass of our
presumptions of being the only true Church and the only true disciples. Envy
and jealousy prevented us from recognizing the good done by those who were
different from us.
In our
communities, many serve our brothers and sisters, carrying out the tasks with
diligence and generosity; however, jealousy and envy often ruin our efforts.
And all the works we do, ceases to be a service but turns out to be means of
affirming ourselves, our social status and our ego.
St. Mark
reminds his community to make every effort to make their lives beneficial to
the community. God has blessed us with eyes, hands and legs to observe and
reach out to the needs of our brothers and sisters to do them good. Whoever
wastes their chance to do good in this world loses, forever, the unique
opportunity that God has offered him or her; ruins himself or herself like
garbage. The word “Gehenna” was the place where all the garbage of the city was
dumped.
The Gospel
speaks of chopping off one’s hand or leg or even removing one’s eye – if we use
them to do wrongs and fail to use them to do good. Indeed, it shocks the
listeners, but we should remember that it is not an announcement of eternal
damnation for the wrong-doers. Rather, it is an urgent call to cut off our
wrong behaviours, attitudes, life-styles and ideologies, so that we wouldn’t
let our lives be wasted in the garbage bin.
===============
29 September
2024
Mark 9:38-43,
45, 47-48
Let not your
lives be wasted
The disciples
are confronted with a great deal of confusion: How is it possible for someone
outside of our circle, who is not part of our community, to perform the same
miracles or even greater ones that were exclusively associated with us? Should
we be happy or worried if someone else is successful in our area of work? Who
has the authority to invoke the name of Jesus? John and his companions are
displeased because the other individual is not part of their group.
How can we
discern who is on our side and who is not? Sometimes, as Christians, we
perceive ourselves as the exclusive beloved offspring of God, while those
outside our circle and faith are seen as outsiders who cannot experience God's
love and compassion.
During an
interfaith gathering in Singapore on September 12, Pope Francis made a
thought-provoking statement: “All religions are a path to God. They are like
different languages to arrive at God, but God is God for all. Since God is God
for all, then we are all children of God.” However, This profound insight was
met with resistance by some who feared it might challenge the Catholic doctrine
of Christ as the sole saviour and undermine the church's missionary efforts.
But on our
journey, as we look up and look around, we realise that many generous, sincere,
well-disposed companions are walking alongside us. We did not see them because
we have been looking through the coloured glass of our presumptions of being
the only true Church and the only true disciples. Envy and jealousy prevented
us from recognizing the good done by those who were different from us.
Choosing not to
do good in this world means missing out on a God-given special opportunity to
make a positive impact on those around us. In the Gospel, the term 'Gehenna'
refers to a place where all the city's trash was dumped.
The Gospel employs intense language, like cutting off a hand or foot or even removing an eye, if it leads us into wrongdoing or prevents us from doing good. Although these words may shock the listeners, they are not a declaration of eternal punishment for those who sin. Instead, they serve as a pressing reminder to eliminate harmful behaviours, attitudes, lifestyles, and beliefs so that we don’t allow our lives to be thrown away into the Gehenna – the garbage bin.
