Numbers 11:25-29
James 5:1-6
Mark 9:39-48

Bishop Untener's Homily

This is quite a Gospel passage!

Actually, it's an example of what Scripture scholars call a catena ("chain") of sayings that are connected, not by subject matter, but by key words. These key words enable someone to remember a whole chain of passages linked by the same word or phrase. (Remember, the Gospels began as oral tradition, years before they were written down. These stories could be passed on only by memory.)

For example, in the verses just preceding the beginning of today's section, Jesus had placed a boy in the midst of the disciples and said, "Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me..." That phrase "in my name" is a link to the story about the disciples coming to Jesus and complaining that someone was casting out demons "in your name." 

The chain continues, and we have a mixture of sayings placed one after another because of key words.

What do you do with a Gospel passage like this? Well, a homily is not a "Bible class." So you look at the whole passage, and you look at what is going on in our lives, and you try to see how these graced words of Scripture intersect with what is going on here and now. 

Jesus and the Person Casting Out Demons in his Name

Here we are at a Mass in which we commission Lay Ministers. In the light of this event, what drew my attention was the answer Jesus gave when John and the other disciples complained to him that someone was casting out demons in his name. Jesus says that they shouldn't try to stop him. What lies behind that answer?

Well, on the one hand, Jesus could simply be saying something like, "Let him go. Why get into a fight over it. What's the harm? He's wrong, but what's the harm." 

That's possible, but I don't think that's what he was saying.

Another possibility struck me.  Perhaps Jesus was saying to them, "Well, where do you think your power comes from? Do you think you get your power from each other? Do you think you do it on your own? I am the source of your power. You act as though people have to follow you."

There may be something to that. Did you notice what John said to Jesus when he complained? He said "we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us."  That could imply that he and the other disciples thought that when Jesus sent them out, they had self-contained power. They had learned from Jesus, and now they could go out and teach and drive out demons on their own. Jesus is now correcting that false impression.

A Thought For Those in Ministry

There is something here that all of us in ministry need to think about. Without realizing it, we can be just off the mark in our thinking. It goes something like this. We say, “I have studied the teachings of Christ, the truths that he taught, and the way of life that he taught, and now I am going to go out and teach that to others. I am going to develop programs and engage in activities that help people lead a better life. And I will respond to people's needs - at times of sickness, death. I will prepare them for marriage.” And so on and so forth.

Without realizing it, we may think that we have received all this from Jesus, and now we go out and do it. That is just a little off, but it makes a big difference. 

To get it right, we have to think of the whole Trinity. God the Father entered into creation and raised it to a new level by sending his Son, who became flesh, and lived and died and rose from dead, and sent his Spirit upon us. Through the Spirit Jesus lives on in us and calls us to go out and let him continue his work through us. We are not acting on our own with self-contained power. The Risen Lord works through us. 

Think about it. Jesus didn't say, "I am the oak tree, and you are the acorns." He said, "I am the vine and you are the branches." The acorns come from the tree, but then are separated and become oak trees. They came from the oak tree, they are "like" the oak tree they came from, but now they are self-contained.

That is considerably different from, "I am the vine and you are the branches" - which expresses a continuing source of life. It's significant that when Jesus uses that image, he adds: "Whoever remains in me and I in them will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing."

More Than Those in Ministry

Most of you who fill our Cathedral this afternoon are not commissioned lay ministers, or religious, or deacons, or priests, or bishops. I want you to know that all of this applies to you too - whether you are married or single, widowed or divorced, young or old, healthy or unhealthy. Some of us are formally in ministry, but when Jesus said, "I am the vine and you are the branches," he was talking to all who believe in him. We are all disciples of the Lord. And the Lord continues his work through all of us... if we let him.

This is good news for everyone. All we have to do is get it right: We don't simply pray to Jesus now and then, and then face life on our own while Jesus watches us. Jesus connects with us and acts through us... if we let him. "I am the vine, you are the branches." There's not a thing we do that doesn't include the presence and power of Jesus... if we let him be part of whatever we are doing.

St. Paul Had It Right

I close with something from St. Paul. He had it right. Listen to what he says in one of his letters to the Corinthians. The people of Corinth had been visited by Paul and ministered to by Paul. There were also others who ministered to them. One of those was someone named Apollos who apparently was a very good teacher and preacher. Some members of the community favored Paul, others favored Apollos, and it caused some friction. Listen to what Paul says:

"What is Apollos, after all, and what is Paul? The servants through whom you came to believe, and each has only what the Lord had given him. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth... For we are God's co-workers."

If I can think of that early in the morning, and if you can think of that early in the morning... I guarantee you, the rest of the day will be different.

Originally given on September 28, 2003 at the Cathedral Mass for Commissioning Lay Ministers