On The Right Track

A Reflection on the Gospel for September 26th, 2021:
Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Mark
9.38-43, 45, 47-48

After Jesus had finished teaching the disciples, John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. Whoever is not against us is for us.

“For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.

“If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea.

“If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell, where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.”
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I have always found this scripture a little bit intimidating (and maybe even scary) to read. It’s quite intense. Being drowned in the sea, cutting off extremities, tearing out eyes, and being thrown into hell are objectively terrifying notions. Jesus certainly made His point very clear on this one! But, the intensity behind His statements simply shows how much He wants for us to spend eternity with Him in heaven. The idea of not being with God forever should be intense and scary. He wants us to be truly aware of how our actions and attitudes here on Earth will impact our life after death.

Do you remember when you were a kid and your parents would tell you things like: “If you don’t dry your hair before you leave the house you’ll get a cold!”; or “If you don’t wear your helmet, you’ll cut your head right open!” These are warnings from someone who loves us and wants us to be safe and healthy; someone who wants nothing but the best for us. Like a loving parent, Jesus too is providing us with loving warnings to keep us on the right track. 

With that being said, sin is inevitable in our lives. We’re only human and the Lord expects that we will stumble off the path to heaven and sin from time to time. But all Jesus is asking here is that we make our best efforts to make our way back to that path each time we drift from the path’s center. It can be helpful to reflect from time to time about what things in our lives are distancing us from God and try to cut them out (instead of cutting off your limbs). I pray that I may recognize those areas of sin in my life and that I may have the resilience to get rid of them for good. Amen.




​Megan Noye
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