A Reflection for Wednesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Find today’s readings here.
John said to Jesus,
"Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name,
and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us."
Jesus replied, "Do not prevent him.
There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name
who can at the same time speak ill of me.
For whoever is not against us is for us."
This winter I have spent countless hours watching my youngest son’s basketball games. During many of those games, the coach has enthusiastically screamed “same team!” when the boys have jumped to rebound a ball. This short but poignant passage made me think that Jesus’s response could have also been “same team!”
Jesus reminds John that anyone who does good deeds in his name is doing work for the Kingdom of God. In the office, on the basketball court, in our families and in our communities, we are most successful when we collaborate and work together. And as Jesus reminds us, each person is blessed with different gifts and talents. There is no need to exclude or compare; rather, we should work together. Indeed, God’s work is not confined to one special group; all are part of “the team.”
All of us are called, regardless of social status, denomination or political stature, to do God’s work without judgement and in the manner in which he desires. Each of us can do this resisting the urge to judge others actions and words, by rejoicing and joining in deeds that help us all become closer to him.
As you go about your day, how can you use your actions and words to be on the “same team,” building the Kingdom of God through acts of charity, justice and love while not judging others? It is something I will think of from the fourth-grade basketball team sidelines—and on other occasions too!
