We are accustomed to hearing Jesus warning or telling off the scribes, Pharisees and lawyers, for example, in Matthew 23: 1-36. Yet, today, immediately after the episode in which the disciples had been arguing among themselves as to who was the greatest, Jesus replies sternly to John's question about how to deal with unauthorized exorcisms: " 'Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.' " (Mk 9: 38) My question is, who is "us" in this context? It seems that not only were the disciples arguing among themselves as to who was the greatest, but they also claimed a monopoly on the ministry and name of Jesus. Jesus replied: " '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.' " (Mk 9: 39-40) All these centuries later that "us" can be applied today to all the baptized and thereby commissioned as missionary disciples. The mission does not belong to us since it is primarily the action of the Holy Spirit working to bring people through Jesus to the Father. Our task is to spread the joy of the Gospel and not to look to our own interests or hold ourselves out as being the saviours. In fact, our actions may both cause ourselves or others to stumble. Such attitudes need to be cut off and discarded, even though it may be painful to do so. After all: " 'We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done.' " (Lk 17: 10)
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