26th Sunday of Ordinary Time [B]

 


26TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME [B]


What will you see if you decide to attend an air show? You will see an assortment of aircraft, some vintage and some modern. Some will be parked as static displays, and some will be flying overhead. When a high performance, modern day jet-powered aircraft takes to the skies, will it be performing at its fullest level of capacity? Actually, no. The FAA does not allow for that type of full-scale demonstration. Those who perform need to operate within the limits that have been established by the governing body. For example, a pilot can fly fast, but not faster than the speed of sound. An infraction takes place when a pilot breaks the sound barrier.  


It’s something that’s not supposed to happen—and yet sometimes it does. Three years ago, it happened in Oshkosh Wisconsin. An F-16, having carried out a vertical climb, was just beginning its descent. Moments later a “sonic boom” was registered. The concussion startled people and there were reports of windows shattering. Otherwise, no injuries were sustained. The incident illustrates the point that, with every rule you have to anticipate some manner of exception. The incident also provides justification for the involvement of the FAA. The air show format can bring about any number of safety risks. Therefore, limits are being imposed because the situation calls for the setting of limits. 


How about the situation being presented in the Book of Numbers, chapter eleven? Is this a situation that calls for the setting of limits? Joshua believes so. However, he’s going to be overruled by the authority of Moses. The Spirit can flow within the camp, outside of the camp, or anywhere across the landscape (see Num. 11:25-29). Jesus will strike a very similar tone in the Gospel of Mark, chapter nine. Let the Spirit flow— whether it’s within our particular circle or well beyond our particular circle (see Mk. 9:38-41). Thus, from a scriptural standpoint, it’s not the Holy Spirit that needs to be contained; rather, we’re the ones who need to be contained. 


To put it plainly, we get carried away. In our second reading we hear something about the dangers of materialism (James 5:1-6). We have to be careful about the attraction of money and also about the accumulation of possessions. Money can represent a near occasion of sin. The desire for possessions can likewise develop into an occasion of sin. In very strong terms, we hear Jesus commanding us to avoid the near occasion of sin (Mk. 9:43-48). Don’t go there! Don’t fly over that patch of air-space! The Bible, therefore, paints a very clear picture: we are the ones who need to be contained. 


Nevertheless, sometimes we act as if God is the one who needs to be contained. We somehow overlook the fact that Joshua has been overruled. John likewise finds himself being overruled. They each drift into that forbidden patch of air-space and they subsequently end up being sanctioned. They’re not being condemned. But at the very least they are being cautioned. For our part, we would do well to take all of this into account. Then again, it’s possible that we simply can’t help ourselves. We feel as if we need to impose limitations upon the Lord. Will those limitations actually hold up? They will hold up in the same way that plate glass holds up within the range of a sonic boom. 

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