Gospel of Mark, chapter 9: 40-41

There’s a story about a man who went to see his neighbor who had a dangerous looking dog. As he approached the door, the dog began to bark and his neighbor said to him, “Come on in. Don’t be afraid of my dog. You know what they say: A barking dog never bites.” “Yes,” replied his friend, “I know the saying, but does your dog know it?”

Before we can agree on whether a dog would bite or not, we need to make sure the dog is also in agreement. In the same way, it is futile for us to make up God’s mind; it is nothing less than arrogance to bring God down to our level. In today’s gospel, some of Jesus’ disciples did just that. They rejected the good works of those who were not of their group, even though they did so in the name of Jesus.

In the Old Testament, the Israelites had the same problem. During the Exodus, with Moses as their leader, they made their camp in a valley, far from the mountain where they believed God lived. Halfway between the valley and the mountain they built a special tent, a meeting place between God and their leader, Moses. Anyone who strayed to the mountain was put to death; he or she had trespassed into God’s territory. Similarly, they believed that God would not cross into their own territory by coming into the valley. The lines were clearly drawn. Everything was neatly worked out. They believed they knew where God belonged and where He did not belong.

But God cannot be limited.

Narrow-minded people have never been wanting among God’s people. In the Gospels, we see them in the early experiences of James and John who wanted to call down fire from heaven to consume those who didn’t agree with them, such as the Samaritans (Luke 9:52-56). It is also John who reported to Jesus how he tried to stop a man who did not belong to their group casting out demons in Jesus’ name. Why did he do that? Because, according to his limited understanding, God should confine himself only to his group. But Jesus reprimanded him, “Do not stop him. … Whoever is not against us is for us” (Mark 9:39-40). In other words, he is doing a good job, and it is by their fruit you will know them.

Many Christians think that God has abandoned them today; that He no longer has a place in their world. Maybe they are looking in the wrong places. If they looked beyond their tent, revival meetings and those who belong to their group, it might surprise them to see that God is as active in our world today as He has always been. It might shock them to discover that God is working with those they may have regarded as the wrong people, and in places they deemed to be the wrong places.

Our hope today is that God may give us the humility to acknowledge and welcome Him wherever He chooses to make Himself known.

Fr. Hugh Duffy

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