Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B - Sunday, September 26, 2021 (EPISODE: 323)

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B  - Sunday, September 26, 2021
(EPISODE: 323)

Readings for Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B
FIRST READING: Num 11: 25-29
Ps 19: 8, 10, 12-13, 14. "The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart."
SECOND READING: Jas 5: 1-6
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (cf. John 17: 17b+a). Alleluia, alleluia! Your word, O Lord, is truth. Make us holy in the Truth.
GOSPEL: Mark 9: 38-43, 45, 47-48

Image: Shutterstock Licensed stock vector ID:1643153383- Biblical vector illustration series, close up of Jesus on the cross wearing a crown of thorns.  By rudall30
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Please listen to the audio recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers and homily), for Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B  - Sunday, September 26, 2021, by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-26th-sunday-ordinary-b-episode-323  
(EPISODE: 323)
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* (Prologue: 
WORK WITH GOD, WHEREVER AND WHENEVER HE IS WORKING. AND WITH WHOMSOEVER HE CHOOSES TO WORK.
This weekend, the core of Christ's message of unselfish service and love really strikes us.  I love these readings for their practicality and clarity.  God reminds us that God's Spirit blows wherever it wills. God acts in and through whom God wants. We cannot limit God or demand that God works only through official channels. We are God's servants, and we do not direct God, we serve God and God's ways.
 
The readings speak of the fact that God's Spirit blows where it wills and we cannot try to limit God's action. God works in and through anyone God chooses. Eldad and Medad are two people in the First reading who receive the spirit of God even though they were not in the tent with the others. There was some consternation about that… should we stop them, because they did not receive the Holy Spirit in the same way that we did, and the way WE think they should have received it? God says I will give the Spirit to whomsoever I choose and how and when I choose.  
 
Our job is not to limit God but to respond and cooperate with God wherever God's action is found.  The names Eldad and Medad are rather interesting…   Eldad means 'the one whom God has loved" and Medad means "love" or "waters of love."  It could also be a reminder, that God's love and God's action flow freely and generously to everyone, without boundary or limitation. The waters of God's love flow whichever course God chooses and the Spirit of God blows wherever it wills.
 
We are warned:  Jealousy is not a virtue in the Kingdom of God. Do not be jealous of anyone who is doing God's work. Do not make comparisons between yourself and your work of the Kingdom and someone else. There is enough work for the labourers of the Kingdom to occupy us all. Do not look at others and who they are or what are not doing.  Do your work diligently….   Everyone has a different part of the work of the Kingdom, (as we heard last week, making comparisons and being jealous and trying to monopolise God's work… none of them are the qualities to be found in the real Kingdom of God…)
 
Saint James is encouraging a healthy aversion to possessions and wealth, particularly if wealth and comfort are gained at the expense of others who are going without the necessities of life, and are who are in dire need…  and especially if the wealth is gained from dishonesty and unjustly ripping off others…  this will all come back to bite them, Saint James warns…
 
The gospel..  rather than talking about literally "cutting off" parts of the body, is really speaking metaphorically by means of a surgical idea that sometimes the integrity and health of the whole body needs to be preserved by amputating or removing a diseased part of the body….  So, this is really talking about the Community, the church, as the Body of Christ. This image refers to the members of the community… For all who are doing the work of the gospel, let them do it unobstructed, and cooperate with them in their work where possible…  Do not interfere with others' work and do not dismay or overload them…..   But, if anyone is doing things that are opposite to the values of the gospel, or disrupting the work of the Gospel, cut them off quickly…   Remove them so that they do not poison the community in its good work and rightly-ordered values…   This is quite challenging and sobering stuff…
 
The readings today are a great encouragement for ecumenical cooperation amongst people of other Christian church denominations, and even broader cooperation with people who are of a non-Christian faith, or even those who do not believe in God at all but who practise the human values that do not contradict Jesus' values and message in essence or effect.
 
Anyone who (even though they do not personally know of Jesus), but who nevertheless who holds Jesus' values and who lives the principles and values of the gospel, is a friend of God and will be welcomed into God's family.
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References:

Homily –- Fr Paul W. Kelly

(Image: ShutterstockLicensed stock vector ID:1643153383- Biblical vector illustration series, close up of Jesus on the cross wearing a crown of thorns.  By rudall30)


Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B   (Sunday, September 26, 2021)  (EPISODE: 323 )
The Lord be with you.
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{{Good wishes to you all.}} welcome everyone, we gather -  To Pray, listen and reflect upon God and God's Kingdom.

My brothers and sisters, we have gathered to celebrate the Holy Eucharist, - so let us pause and reflect upon our sins, so as to rejoice in Gods loving mercy. 

Lord Jesus, you were lifted up to draw all people to yourself: Lord, have mercy//You shouldered the cross, to bear our suffering and sinfulness: Christ, have mercy// You open for your people the way from death into life: Lord, have mercy//

May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.  Amen.
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Memorial Acclamation
2. When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.
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Ps 19: 8, 10, 12-13, 14. "The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart."

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (cf. John 17: 17b+a). Alleluia, alleluia! Your word, O Lord, is truth. Make us holy in the Truth.
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PREFACE: Sundays VIII
EP III
(theme variation: 4 )

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{thanks everyone. And may God sustain you with his grace and love. }

Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.

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Archive of homilies and reflections:  http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email:  paulwkelly68@gmail.com

To listen to our weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here:  https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks

You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul's homily mail-out by sending an email to this address: paulkellyreflections+subscribe@googlegroups.com

Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection"  - Led by Rev Paul Kelly

Prayers and chants  — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)

Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989,  and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)

"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009,  The Grail - Collins publishers.

Prayers of the Faithful -   " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'.   E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993) . (Sydney Australia).

Sung "Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" -  By Jeffrey M. Ostrowski. The Gloria, Copyright © 2011 ccwatershed.org.

- "Faith, Hope and Love" theme hymn - in memory of William John (Bill) Kelly (1942-2017) -  Inspired by 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Music by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.

"Quiet Time."  Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W Kelly. 1988, 2007. & This arrangement: Stefan Kelk, 2020.

- "Today I Arise" - For Trisha J Kelly.  Original words and music by Paul W. Kelly. Inspired by St Patrick's Prayer.  Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.

Sound Engineering and editing -  P.W. Kelly.
Microphones: - Shure Motiv MV5 Digital Condenser.

Editing equipment:    NCH software - MixPad Multitrack Studio Recording Software

NCH – WavePad Audio Editing Software. Masters Edition v 12.44

Sound Processing:  iZotope RX 6 Audio Editor

[Production -  KER -  2021]

May God bless and keep you.
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