God’s Spirit Works Mysteriously
Num 11:25-29; Js 5:1-6; Mk 9:38-43,45,47-48 (26 B)
“…you are saved by grace, … but by the will of God
through Jesus Christ” (Divine Office)
The
Catholic Church is the original Christian Church that has been faithful to
Christ for two thousand twenty-four years. But we also see how God works in
other faiths too. Many determined faith-filled people who do not confess Jesus
Christ, live for God, serve him in the poor, sick and destitute of all faiths. There
are also various spiritual leaders such as Dietrich Boenhaffer, a Lutheran,
Mahatma Gandhi, a Hindu, and Martin Buber, a Jew, Billy Graham, and R.R. K. Murthy
in whom the Spirit of God works. The Spirit of God is still alive in the
universal Church even the churches that do not share in the seven sacraments.
Eldad
and Medad were not in the tent. They weren’t present with the 70 who received
the Spirit of God in the days of Moses. Yet, Eldad and Medad received the
Spirit. “Stop them,” Joshua said. Moses answered, “I wish that all the Lord’s
people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” (Num
11:29). During the ministry of Jesus, particular man baptized in the name of
Jesus. He was not one of the Twelve. Perhaps he heard Jesus speak and wanted to
spread the Gospel. And - “Stop him,” John said. Jesus replied, “Do not stop
him…Whoever is not against us is for us” (Mk 9:40).
Gregory
of Nyssa (330-395 AD) wrote, “God never asks his servants to do what is
impossible. The love and goodness of his Godhead is revealed as richly
available. It is poured out like water upon all. God furnishes each person
according to his will the ability to do something good”. Do we rejoice in the
good that others do? Jesus reprimands his disciples for their jealousy and
suspicion. They were upset that someone who was not of their company was
performing a good work in the name of Jesus. Are we like disciples when we get
upset at the good deeds of others who seem to shine more than us? Paul says, “love
is not jealous... but rejoices in the right” (1 Cor 13:4,6).
We are
graced to live in the age of the Spirit of God. He transforms the world by
working in the hearts of all good people. And thus, “The
Church in the Modern World” (Vatican II), declared that all who are open to
God, who are following their consciences, are themselves, in fact, members of
the Church, saved by Jesus Christ. Eldad and Medad may not have been in the
tent, and the one who was baptizing in the name of Jesus may not have been one
of the disciples, but, still, the Spirit of God empowered them. What do we
learn from this? The Spirit empowers people who had been away from the Church
for years, inspiring them to return to the Church. Because the spirit of God
works in them who continually ask forgiveness for the time they were away. Now the
Spirit gives them meaning and purpose in life. Like Augustine they grieve, “Late
have I loved thee” and learn that God never stop loving them. They become the channel of the grace of God.
“..God, who began this
good work in you, will carry it on until it is finished in the Day of Christ..”
(Divine Office)
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