Gospel: Luke 9: 46-50
Jesus has repeatedly told the disciples that he will be arrested and executed by the religious leaders and worldly powers. He states quite clearly that to be the Messiah of God is to serve others and to suffer. Naturally the disciples respond by arguing about who is the most important among them, who has the authority and power. Jesus again has to rebuke them, reminding them that service to others is the criterion of importance in the kingdom of God.
No sooner does Jesus finish that lesson to the disciples that they come upon someone healing and showing mercy to others in Jesus' name, and they want to rebuke this man because he is not part of their club. Once again Jesus has to rebuke them, for they are more interested in exercising control and power over others than they are in extending mercy to others. Despite the repeated rebukes and the example Jesus provides, the disciples continue to ignore the message.
It should come as no surprise when this dynamic of ignoring these lessons of Jesus continue unabated from that time to the present. When apologetics about primacy, authority, and membership take precedent over the mission of mercy to which Jesus calls us, we repeat this Gospel scene again and again. The Lord's rebuke echoes to this very day, inviting us back to the mission to heal others, liberate people from their demons, and nourish them at table.
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