Reading Reflections Twenty-sixth Sunday Gospel B
John said to Jesus, "Teacher, we saw someone driving
out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow
us."
- What is your first reflection on this statement by
John the apostle? Why?
Jesus replied, "Do not prevent him. There is no one
who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me.
For whoever is not against us is for us.
- What is Jesus saying? Jesus is more inclusive that
some of us are.
- Who do we exclude from fellowship with Jesus because
of our own prejudices?
Anyone who gives you a cup of
water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely
not lose his reward.
- If this is true of someone to you, would it not also
be true of you to someone else?
"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe
(in me) to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around
his neck and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut
it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to
go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to
sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two
feet to be thrown into Gehenna. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it
out. Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two
eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, where 'their worm does not die, and the fire is
not quenched.'
- Does Jesus want us to take him literally? Does Jesus
want us to take him seriously? What is the difference?
- What areas in your life do you need to take Jesus more
seriously lest you experience the fires of Gehenna that Jesus refers to?
- Do you recognize the seriousness of our relationship
with others in regards how we live our lives?
- We teach more by actions than by words. What actions
need to be change in your life as a result of this passage?
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