26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel Bullet Points (Mark 9:38-43. 45. 47-48)

• In part, the gospel talks about scandalizing people. Notice that Jesus, who is usually so merciful and gentle toward sinners, has extremely harsh words when he speaks of the person who scandalizes. This type of sin was the most serious one in his eyes. Thus, He says: cut your hands off if these make you fall into sin; and if your foot makes you fall into sin, cut it off; gouge your eyes out if these make you fall into sin.
• In our modern language to scandalize is to shock or offend the moral feelings of someone, to offend by what is considered as ‘improper conduct (Webster). But in the bible, to scandalize means quite different. It means to cause someone to stumble and fall, to lay a trap in someone’s path.
• The gospel passage invites us to carefully examine our lives in this score, particularly in our dealings with the young, the weak, the ignorant, and the impressionable people—they are the most vulnerable.
• Jesus invites us to recognize aspects in our lives that need to be cut off. We are challenged intensely to take decisive action to change.
• Actual mutilation is not advocated otherwise, we will be seeing lots of people without, arms, feet, and eyes. It is only a metaphor (image/representation) suggesting the COSTLIEST SACRIFICE and emphasizing the radical character of the demands of Christ and the seriousness of the sin of scandal. Indeed, no half-measures can ensure entrance into his kingdom.