No Exclusive Copyright Over His Name

/ Pastor Message

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading I: Numbers 11:25-29
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 19:8, 10, 12-13, 14
Reading II: James 5:1-6
Gospel: Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
The apostle John reported to our Lord with the claim, “We saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him because he is not of our company.” Bluntly, Jesus ordered them not to stop him and essentially told them that they do not have an exclusive copyright over His name. It is still a question being raised even today regarding good people who were not disciples of Jesus or who believe in Jesus but did not want to become a member of the Christian community. Can people who do not believe in God, who belong to a non-Christian religion, or a Christian sect be saved? Can a Catholic who does not participate in the sacramental life of the Church be called a Catholic?

The gospel of Mark gives an answer to this question, but he does a balancing act. In the first part of the gospel, he tells us that Jesus appreciated all the good that was done by people who did not follow him. He was tolerant of them and refused to show any sign of rejection. In the second part of the gospel, he tells us that Jesus was very strict and demanding to people who claimed to be his followers. For them, there was no compromise, no easy-going attitude or laxity in judgement, but only a call to live what they believe. It is in line with what Jesus has been teaching about not judging our neighbor. Let us be very considerate of people outside the Church and be sure our own backyard is clean.

Picture of Efren Tomas

Efren Tomas

In 2004, Father Efren arrived on Maui, Hawaii to be the Pastor of Christ The King Catholic Church in Kahului, Maui until 2012. He calls Christ The King his home because this was his first parish in Hawaii.
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