26th Sunday of Ordinary Time, REFLECTION Sunday´s Gospel

Small details are important

Fr. James McTavish

Num 11:25-29 Ps 19:8, 10, 12-13, 14 Jas 5:1-6 Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

The other day after celebrating a mass for a business, the owner took us for lunch. After the meal I thanked him and said, “Jesus said that even if you give one glass of water to one of his followers you will not go without reward. How much more you will receive after giving us not only iced tea but a nice lunch as well!” Jesus notices the small details. We have a God who notices when a sparrow falls and when a hair falls from our head. God is not indifferent to human effort, even if it seems rather small. Each prayer is heard and each good thought is counted. At the end of our lives we will give an account of each word we have said.

For our lives in Christ we need the grace of vigilance and attentiveness. The spiritual battle is won and lost in the small details. If you are faithful in the small the big things will take care of themselves. Recently we had a retreat with some teenagers, 12 and 13 years old. How beautiful to see the delicacy of their conscience, very sensitive to the Spirit of love in their hearts and trying to put into practice what God is asking from them. We can know many good things but we should try to put them into practice. Here being radical is helpful! When we notice things that block our following of Christ we should not beat around the bush or prune with excuses for our faults and failings: “I am only human!” but go to the root. “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.” Radical options give clarity. There was a man I know who got hooked on the Internet, in XXX sites. He said, “At first I controlled it but later it controlled me. I needed to cut it! I took some scissors and cut it off! The Internet connection!” Take the axe to the root of the tree, don’t just prune it but be radical (from the Latin word for ‘root’) and go to the roots.

I cut with alcohol because it does not help me. It is easier many times to be radical than to say I will just have one and then have ten. Recently the British Medical Association asked for a ban on alcohol advertising. This is how problematic drinking has become in the UK. I offer my little option to not drink for many people whose lives are controlled by it. Even if it is in “moderation” some of the money spent on it could go towards better causes such as the victims of the flooding in Manila, Philippines.

Referring to the sensible use of wealth St James in today’s second reading gives strong advice against misuse of earthly riches “Come now you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries…you have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure.” It is true as the African proverb goes “Luxury corrupts more than poverty.” As Catholics we believe in the Universal destination of goods. Sometimes we just have too many things. It is hard to justify that spare pair of unused shoes in the cupboard when Christ is walking around bare foot in the lives of many poor people. Recently we had a mass in an orphanage. A well-to-do lady came at the end and complained that the altar was not grand enough. Perhaps she forgot that Jesus was born in a stable and lived a life of poverty. I reminded her that we were in an orphanage and probably the money was being spent on the orphans instead. St John Chrysostom once said, “Of what use is it to weigh down Christ’s table with golden cups, when he himself is dying of hunger? What is the use of providing the table with cloths woven of gold thread, and not providing Christ himself with the clothes he needs? Do not, therefore, adorn the church and ignore your afflicted brother, for he is the most precious temple of all.” “Anyway,” I said to her, “if you are really concerned perhaps you could make a small donation to the sisters to contribute towards a new altar.” “Oh no Father, I wasn’t meaning that.” she replied defensively.

Sometimes we may not be materially rich but spiritually so. So much faith, so many experiences of prayer, so many masses but who benefits? Anyone else? We have received so much that we can become spiritually overloaded. We need to share! Generosity is the only antidote. As it says in today’s first reading, “Would that all the people of God were prophets!” And we are, as in baptism we receive the triple dignity as priests, kings and prophets. Let us all exercise our prophetic task in sharing the love of God we have received with others. Let us cut out our pride which makes us think we are better than others. Even our giving can inflate us because we think we are doing others a favour but we are merely giving them what belongs to them by justice. Let us root out our selfishness with generosity and take care of our friendship with Christ, especially in the small details.