From the responsorial psalm: “Though in his lifetime he counted himself blessed, “They will praise you for doing well for yourself,” He shall join the circle of his forebears who shall never more see light. Blessed are the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mk 9:41-50)
Jesus said to his disciples: “Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.”
In the consecutive Gospel readings for this week, Jesus refers to children and to the innocent when he says, “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 consequences for causing the innocent, the pure of heart, to sin is self-destructive. In response to this and from a place of love, Jesus teaches us that outright rejection of such an act—even to the drastic extent of cutting off the offending member—would be better than to cause another to sin. “It is better for you to enter into life maimed,” Jesus says, “than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire.” Lesser offenses also call for renunciation and detachment in this life because we belong to Christ and in order to have hands to receive and give the cup of his mercy.
God, help me comprehend that in Jesus I hear your word directly. “Receive the word of God,” the Gospel acclamation says, “not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God.” Since it is Jesus your Son who speaks these words, give me the gift of fear of the Lord to sharpen the awareness in me that all is your gift and because of that, I tread always on holy ground. Lord, you are all good and deserving of all my love. Give me the grace, today and always, to belong to Christ and live in his peace.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.