By Marcel Uzoigwe, CSSp. (Numbers 11:25-29, James. 5:1-6, Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48)
Dear brothers and sisters,
The readings of today point to the universality of the mission of Christ. We all are called in one way or another to take part in one way or the other. They also point to the fact that Christ’s mission is diverse, touching every sphere of life. It is not restricted to the Sanctuary of the Church but permeates the secular life – there where we find ourselves.
First Reading this Sunday from the Book of Numbers (Num.11:25-29) presents us with the institution of collective leadership of Seventy Elders to whom God gives a share in the spirit of Moses, that they may also share in the enormous leadership burden of Moses to lead the people of Israel with all their incessant complaints.
While these Seventy Elders were filled with the Spirit, they began to prophesy. However, two men who were not among the Seventy Elders by name; Eldad and Medad, were in the camp prophesying as well. And Joshua reported this to Moses and demands that Moses should stop them, in reply Moses said; “Are you jealous on my behalf? How I would wish that, all God’s people are prophets with the spirit of the Lord upon them” (Num.11:29).
Corroborating the lessons of the above first reading, the Gospel reading of today (Mk.9:38-48) presents us with a similar incident in which Jesus reprimands his disciples for their Jealousy and Suspicion. Here, the apostles (like Joshua) reported an incident to Jesus, of a man who was not one of them but was driving out demons in the name of Jesus and they tried to stop him. In response, Jesus ordered; “Don’t prevent him. No one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me. Whoever is not against us is for us”, Mk9:39-40.
The choice of seventy elders commissioned in the first reading points to the mission of the seventy disciples of Christ (see Luke 10:1ff). The numerical agreement in both texts shows Jesus as the new Moses and confirms the universal dimension of his mission. The number 70 also recapitulates the account of the origin of the 70 nations of the ancient world (see Genesis 10); which connotes universality. Thus, the commissioning of the seventy elders and subsequent mission of the seventy disciples, anticipate the universality of the missionary plan of God, seeing in the number “seventy,” a glimmer of catholicity. No one is left out in the work of God, and no nation is excluded.
This is also true about Eldad and Medad who were absent from the tent of meeting and still received the Spirit. This generous flow of the Spirit beyond the tent of meeting is exegetically eloquent about the secular apostolate to which many are called. Eldad and Medad represent those called to minister outside the sanctuary, located within the ordinary sphere of secular life; and called to sanctify the secular sector with the spirit of the gospel. In this sense, every sector of social life is a sanctuary and a pulpit of sorts. In daily interactions with one another, we communicate the love of God to others. We preach the gospel of the kingdom of love and justice more with our actions than words. By so doing, we return our love to God through the services we render to others. Our social interactions in the secular sphere become an apostolate and a means of serving God by sharing his love. This is the very apostolate that Saint James emphasizes in the second reading; namely, serving God in others through social justice.
Many of us are engaged in different professions, entrepreneurial activities, and positions, medical assistance, civil and commercial services. Such positions should be seen as different vocations and apostolates for the service of God through humanity. Saint James calls all within these secular apostolic fields to uphold the principles of justice and love. Employers should not treat employees as objects or instruments of labor, but as humans with dignity and right. The wealthy should see wealth as an instrument of service to humanity. Not to help someone in need when the means are available is to kill. To store up wealth that one does not need is to store God’s wrath against oneself. With material goods, we can feed Christ in the poor (see Matt. 25:34ff).
The readings also present us with the call to missionary cooperation. Leadership in God’s household is a collaborative task, and not just that of an individual. But the leadership team needs to be of one mind and one heart, filled with the same Spirit in order to execute their task in the Spirit of Christ. There is, in the case of the seventy elders, the unity of spirit. All received the same spirit that was in Moses. Here lies the great caution. We are called to participate in the mission of Christ, and to share in his Spirit. Having the Spirit of Christ is very important.
It is not enough to work with the name of Jesus. One also needs to have the spirit of the Master. Today, many profess the name of Jesus but with the spirit of Mammon, others prophesy in his name but with the spirit of divination (see Acts 16). Hence the apostle says: “Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him” (Rom. 8:9). The fact that Jesus allows those that use his name does not imply approval. It is the same way he allows the wheat and the tare to grow together till the judgment day. On that day, many will say to him, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and cast out demons in your name, and many mighty works in your name” and he will say to them “I never knew you, depart from me you evildoers” (Matt. 7:22-23).
Not all who use the name of Jesus are genuine. Hence, he warns: “take heed that no one leads you astray, for many will come in my name …. And they will lead many astray” (Matt. 24:4-5). Working in the name of Jesus also requires participation in his Spirit.
The readings are also a warning against jealousy and unnecessary suspicion. We see Joshua asking his master Moses, to stop Eldad and Medad from prophesying because they were not in the tent with them. A similar incident happened with the disciples of Jesus who tried stopping the man casting out demons in the name of Jesus simply because he does not belong to their group. This is simply the same pattern of discrimination, racism, and party spirit. That someone is different, thinks differently, or does not belong to our group of friends, religion, or whatever does not take away the good things the person can do.
We cannot restrict the Spirit of God or decide for God who to use, inspire, bless and uplift. The Spirit of God is everywhere and can operate with anyone He chooses. Jealousy and suspicion act like a virus, spreads fast among group members, lead to gossip, and brings division. When we learn to appreciate everyone, we can see that the mission of God can bear more fruit through cooperation rather than division and party spirit.
Beloved brothers and sisters, the missionary mandate, prefigured in the election of the seventy elders, is a universal call. We all have a part in the mission through our respective walks of life. As some are called to preach the Word with their voices from the pulpit others are called to preach the Word with their lives through their different professions and states of life. About the latter group of preachers, the psalm says: “There is no speech, no words; their voice is not heard; yet their words go out through all the earth, their messages, to the ends of the world” (Psalm 19:4-5). We are all called to the prophetic ministry of the church. This prophecy is not about foretelling the future, but forthtelling the Word of God by word and by action.