26th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B. By Tobe Eze

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B.

FIRST READING
Numbers 11:25—29

SECOND READING
James 5:1—6

GOSPEL
Mark 9:38—43, 45, 47—48

THEME: THE TRUE SPIRIT.

The true spirit of God or the Holy Spirit falls on those God wills to receive the spirit. It is not our own making for a particular person or group of persons to receive the Holy Spirit. There are different gifts from the Holy Spirit as St. Paul pointed out in (1 Corinthians 12). Those gifts are meant for the well-being of human race. These gifts can be received by anyone as God wills. Continue Reading.............

In the first reading, which is a continuation of the passage where Moses father-in-law advised him to select among the people those that will help him in the work of the Lord after seeing how he was working day and night without rest. Their names were written down, so on the appointed day, they entered the tent for Moses to pray for them so that God will take some of his powers or spirit to give to them to help him in the ministry. Two persons were left and Bible did not tell us the reason for that. Maybe something came up that made them unavailable in the tent and it was not their fault or it was God’s Providence to teach us how the spirit of God works. When the time came they received the same spirit like others. The spirit of God and they did what God expected them to do. They did not go against what the others in the tent were doing rather they were doing the same prophecy in different places. The problem of these days self acclaimed prophets is that they are very stubborn and disobedient. They do different things apart from what the church is doing and that cause trouble making some who are even right to look as if they are at the wrong side.

Richness stressed in the second reading does not necessarily mean wealth (ego). Some of us receive spirit of prophecy, some healing, some teaching, some tongue and so on, how do we use them? Do we use them for our own selfish interest or to help the community of God’s people? Those using those gifts for their own selfish desires are being warned by the second reading that they are gearing towards doom. No one is left without a gift, try and use that gift in a way that it will please the master who gave you the gift.

This is a place where many get confused in life. I received a gift and the other received, and I am telling you not to go to the other person and also at the same time trying to stop the other from operating, why? The apostles saw two men casting our demons in the name of Jesus, they wanted to stop them but Jesus did not allow them for they received the true spirit of God. Even in the first reading said this gospel, those that received the Holy Spirit received it at the will of the spirit not their own wills. We have our different gifts and those gifts are what Jesus referred today in the gospel as our eyes, hands, legs and so on. If these gifts should lead us to hell, we should work on them.

These people that have taken glories that belong to God, are they still gathering with Jesus? We must watch them. All these gifts are from God and he gives them to us when he wills not when we want or will. Think of someone who sees (prophecy) in the morning, afternoon, evening and night. There is never a time that you will meet them and they have nothing to tell you that the Lord said. They are deceiving us. Jesus warned on those who will deceive others and from that he divided it into parts representing them with parts of our body. If you think you have any gift, please don’t let it take you to hell fire. "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. The true spirit comes from God and goes to anyone God wills to give it to. No one is a monopoly of the Holy Spirit. THANKS AND HAPPY SUNDAY.